John Robert Shea

1937 - 2025

John Robert Shea, age 88, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, October 23rd, 2025. Born in Detroit, Michigan to Luella Harrington and Joseph P. Shea on April 18, 1937, John was the youngest of four children. His family later moved to Tucson, Arizona, where he attended Flowing Wells Junior High and Amphitheater High School. Before graduating, John left school to join the US Army. After his military service, he continued his education in Arizona, married Nadine Cloudt, and together they had two children, Joseph and Deborah.

John earned his PhD in Economics from Ohio State University, focusing on workforce and education planning, human resource policy, and labor economics. In the 1970s, he worked in higher education research as a Senior Fellow with the Carnegie Commission and Council on Policy Studies on Higher Education in Berkeley, CA, and as a Research Economist at UC Berkeley's Center for Research and Development on Higher Education. His research spanned both South America and the United States.

As his son reached adulthood, John's career shifted toward advocacy. He helped start Bayberry, a Napa-based non-profit that continues to provide housing and support for adults with developmental disabilities, serving as its Executive Director from 1979 to 1989.

In 1985, John married Patty Saunders, and they recently celebrated their 40th anniversary. The following year, John and his business partner, Bill Allen, founded Allen, Shea, and Associates (ASA). For more than 30 years, John provided planning, research, training, and evaluation services in human services, especially for people with intellectual disabilities and their families. He was always generous with his time, offering free guidance to parents navigating services for their children. John retired in 2020.

John also served on the board of Napa Valley Support Services, including several years as president. In 1995, he and other parents founded Options3, a small non-profit that created a "home of their own" for his son Joe and two others. Options3 expanded in 2009 to provide supported living services to more individuals.

Outside of work, John was passionate about long-distance running. He ran weekly with the Silverado Striders and helped organize the Napa Valley Marathon, overseeing the aide stations. He coached Special Olympic track and pioneered long-distance running, including marathons, for Special Olympic athletes in the area.

A devoted Oakland A's fan, John loved baseball, attending games and spring training, and umpiring for the Napa Little League Challenger Division well into his 80s. He enjoyed fishing with Patty, spending time at the family cabin in Lake Tahoe, and traveling to Hawaii with friends-always seeking out the best shave ice and saimin.

At home, John was known for his love of Mexican food, ice cream, and chocolate. He was a kind and loving "Papa" to all the boys at the Saunders Family Care Home over the years, and he will be missed by many.

John was predeceased by his parents, brothers Don and Jim Shea, sister Maureen Fryling, and stepdaughter Erin Saunders. He is survived by his wife Patty Saunders; son Joseph Shea; daughter Deborah Shea; stepson Daniel Saunders (Nancy); stepdaughter Bonnie Wilson (Matt); grandsons Noel Wilson, Vova Saunders Seim; and granddaughters Cara Wilson, Nataliya Saunders Seim, and Lilla Kasper.

A memorial mass followed by a Celebration of Life will be held at St. Appollinaris Catholic Church in Napa at 11am on Saturday, November 22.

In lieu of flowers, donations in John's name may be made to the non-profit Heartright Foundation (www.heartrightfoundation.org) earmarked for John's son and his two roommates or to Napa Valley Support Services (napavalleysupportservices.org).

The family extends heartfelt thanks to everyone at Providence/Compassus Hospice who cared for John, and to his private caregiver, Mark Benedict, who supported John throughout his journey. John Robert Shea