Frank E. Shea

Frank Shea passed away peacefully on January 20, 2024, in Hospice Care at the Plymouth Rehabilitation & Health Care Center in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Frank was born and raised in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and at a very young age, was drawn to the sounds of swing music and the 'Big Bands.' He would study the drummers, piano, and saxophone players that drove those bands and by his teen years, Frank had taught himself how to play the drums and soon realized he had the natural talent for improvisation that Jazz musicians possess. He started playing gigs as a teen and earned the nickname 'Bebop Shea.'
Frank was a musical nomad for much of his early career. As a traveling musician, he has played and recorded with some of the best musicians from Los Angeles to Chicago.
During his time in Chicago, he met his love, Shirley (Majors) Shea, and in 1967, the two married and moved to Los Angeles, California, where Frank had a steady gig as the drummer for the famous traveling swing band The Treniers, all while raising a family.
Wanting to return to the East Coast, in the early '70s, the family relocated to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where Frank was offered the drum spot for the renowned Lou Colombo Band. Frank soon became the first call Jazz drummer for the Cape and the Islands for over a decade, working alongside the best Jazz musicians in the New England area.
In 1987, after raising four children, the couple and their youngest moved to West Hartford, Connecticut, where Frank continued to make a living as a high-demand drummer throughout the state.
In 2001, the couple moved to Gainesville, FL, to be closer to their youngest daughter, Catherine, and their beloved grandchildren, Sierra Shea, Sage Keys, and Tyrese Ivory, playing an integral role in their lives, until 2013, when the couple moved back to the Cape and retired to Orleans, Massachusetts.
Frank is survived by his wife, Shirley A. (Majors) Shea, and their children, Catherine Shea, Stephanie (Michael) Fontana, Mark (Melissa) Ayala, and Lisa (Mark) Gentile. He is also survived by his brother, Bradford Shea, and his family, as well as 11 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his mother, Lillian (Deschaine) Beatty; his father, Francis P. Shea; his daughter (from a previous marriage) Patricia Wisnewski; and his grandson, Mark A. Gentile.
Frank lived for his two true loves, Jazz and his family! A warm-hearted man with a remarkable talent. He will forever be in our memories. Undoubtedly, he is tapping his foot to the Big Bands in Heaven and Jammin' out. May he rest in Peace.
In his own words... "Yours truly, always, and forever." - Deda
And in the words he lived by..."Jazz is not just music, it's a way of life, it's a way of being, a way of existence." – Wynton Marsalis
The immediate family will be holding a private memorial.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to the Hospice Services of Massachusetts 10 Riverside Drive, Lakeville, MA 02347 or to the caregivers and nursing staff at Plymouth Rehabilitation & Health Care Center-Alden Floor. 123 South Street, Plymouth, MA 02360 on behalf of Francis Shea.