Father John Shea, always known as "Jerry", was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on October 13, 1935, the son of John and Alice Shea of Cambridge.  He attended Saint Columbkille High School, Brighton, graduating in 1953.  In formation he attended Cardinal O'Connell Minor Seminary in Jamaica Plain and Saint John Seminary, Brighton.

Richard Cardinal Cushing ordained Father Jerry a priest on February 2, 1961, at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston.

As an Assistant his parishes included Saint Linus Church, Natick, Saint Patrick Church, Watertown and Saint Cecilia Church, Boston.  He also had a brief stint with the National Guard of Massachusetts.

In 1973 Father Jerry joined a new "Team Ministry Program" at Saint Joseph Church, Somerville.  He went on to be an Associate Pastor at Holy Ghost Church, Whitman.  While there he served as Juvenile Court Chaplain at the Fourth District Court of Brockton.

He was then Parochial Vicar at Saint Mary Church, North Plymouth, and, on February 17, 1987, he became the fifth Pastor at Saint Colman Church, Brockton.

He ended his formal ministry as Parochial Vicar at Saint Peter Church in Plymouth.

After the turn of the century, as a happy retired priest, on the water in Ocean Bluff, he helped at a plethora of churches in Plymouth County, including Saint Ann, Saint Christine and Assumption, Marshfield, Saint Peter and Saint Mary, Plymouth, Saint Thecla, Pembroke, Saint Mary, Scituate, Saint Mary, Hanover, Saint Helen, Norwell and Holy Family, Duxbury.

Father Jerry Shea is survived by his dear sister, Maureen Shea Smith and her husband, Pat, of Ocean Bluff, as well as a niece and three nephews, Maurenn Masasi and her husband, Ron, of Belmont, John Sullivan and his partner, Joe, of Winchester, Gerard Sullivan and his wife, Gretchen, of Norfolk and Kevin Sullivan and his partner, Karen, of Holliston.  There are six grandnieces and nephews and three great grandnieces and nephews.  A good friend and caregiver for many years was Geri Eaniri of Ocean Bluff.

For fifty-one years his priest friends would gather on most Tuesday evenings for sociability and dinner.  Father Jerry hosted the Romeos *, as they were later called, for over thirty of those years.  It is a fine and much needed support for the 'boys'.

* "Retired Old Men Eating Out"