Obituary of Malvina Shea

Malvina M. (Murphy) Shea, a woman who devoted her life to her family, community and faith, passed away at the Boston Medical Center on Tuesday morning, June 14, 2011. The wife of the late William T. Shea, she was 90 years old. Malvina was born, raised and educated in Hartford, CT. She was the daughter of the late Frederick and Sarah Murphy. She was a graduate of St. Joseph College in West Hartford. She went on to receive her Engineering Degree from Penn State University. Malvina’s first job was as an Engineer at Untied Technology. She then went on to have a career as a Claims Adjustor in the Insurance Industry. Malvina and her husband settled in Burlington in 1956 where they became very involved in the community and at St. Margaret’s Church. Malvina was the Director of Religious Education for grades 3, 4 & 5 at St. Margaret’s Church and a member of Catholic Daughters. She was an active volunteer for the Burlington Public Library and People Helping People. Malvina was also very involved at the Burlington Council on Aging and was a Past Secretary of the Club. Malvina and her husband loved horses and were members of the Thoroughbred Racing Fans of New England. She enjoyed ceramics and was getting ready to attend another year at the recreation department. Malvina was very proud of her Irish Heritage and had visited Ireland. She was a proud “Nana” who had a wonderful relationship with her six granddaughters. Malvina was the beloved wife of the late William T. Shea. She was the loving mother of Meg Shea-Chiles & her husband Jeffery Hayman of Hayward, CA and Mary G. Staten & her husband Matthew of Burlington. She was the sister of Joyce Murphy of Hartford, CT and the late Mary Parker, Joseph & Frederika Murphy. She was the devoted grandmother of Amy Edwards & her husband Jared, Rebecca Staten, Caitlyn Staten & her boyfriend Michael Bennett and Alexandra, Veronica & Madeleine Hayman. Great Grandmother of Cayden Federico. Funeral from the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., BURLINGTON (Exit 34 off Rt. 128, Woburn side) on Saturday June 18 at 9 a.m. Followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Margaret’s Church, 111 Winn St., Burlington at 10 a.m. Visiting hours Friday 4-8 p.m. Interment in Chestnut Hill Cemetery, BURLINGTON. Memorials in Malvina’s name may be made to People Helping People, P.O. Box 343, Burlington, MA 01803 peoplehelpingpeopleinc.org. Malvina Murphy Shea A remembrance from her daughter, Meg Shea-Chiles My mom was an amazing woman. She served as my role model throughout my life. When someone would ask me what she was like, the words that would come to mind are: independent, strong (lot in a little package), practical, generous to a fault, deeply religious and as my dad said, “one smart cookie” She was a quiet pioneer during her life. She got her engineering degree at Penn state during the WW 2, far before it was common for women to be in engineering. In fact, she was the first in her family to go to college, and she instilled in me the love of knowledge, and the basic premise that you could be anything that you wanted to be. In her first job after school, she was an engineer at Hamilton Standard, and there she met the love of her life- our Dad. She fiercely loved her family –and taught us the value of how important family is and she always put family first. When she and my father decided to have children,she made a decision to stay home and raise us, and she was happy in that role. However, I remember when the recession hit in the 1970’s, my mom quietly just went back to work. She always did what was needed to protect and care for us. Our family was “the Murphy’s and “the Shea’s”, and we had family outings to the racetrack, summers at the cape or Old Orchard Beach,and holidays in Hartford. She was always the center core for our family and we always knew she was there for us. She never took center stage- she let my dad and us kids do that, but she truly taught me what it meant to “love and be loved”. . My Mom enjoyed life. She loved horses and horseracing, and in fact, she would tell you that she and my father bought the house in Burlington since it was halfway between Suffolk Downs and Rockingham Park. They were a great pair. They were married for 49 years – he was the outgoing personality and shewas the quiet one – but always the rock that anchored our family. That said, she enjoyed dancing, ballroom with Dad and later in life,teaching her grandchildren the Macerana. She loved developing her creative side with her ceramics, and traveling and vacationing with her sisters at the beach. – and of course, she loved the Red Sox!! She fiercely valued her independence, and especially as she got older- her ability to drive. She was “the designated driver” and up to just recently, the one who would selflessly take everyone who needed transportation to church, or the senior center, or to ceramics- and in fact, it seemed that to her losing her driving privileges, was the worst thing about getting older. She lived in her home at 4 Phyllis for 54 years- and we all have great stories about growing up there or just going to “Nana’s”. We always enjoyed fixing her lobster dinners to celebrate life’s little successes and of course, that meal would start with her martini (Beefeaters- one olive). But one of the things about her that I came to truly appreciate was her strength of character. Her high school yearbook said about her, “Character secures Respect” – and that was when she was only 18. She always gave of herself- in her volunteering, in helping anyone less fortunate with the numerous charities she supported, and in giving of herself to let her children and grandchildren, and great grandson have all the advantages that she could help them with. She was always thought of as quiet, but she would surprise you. Shehad a great sense of humor, ( if she didn’t she would never have married my dad), and always had a smile. I will always remember when she first came to California to spend Christmas with us and my in-laws. I was really concerned about finding something to do after dinner for everyone - so, we decided to watch the movie“the English Patient”, which I figured would be a safe choice. Everyone was very quiet during the first half of the movie, and there came a scene where the lead had a confrontation and a bookcase was toppled over. My mother then yelled out- “Finally, some action”, and the whole group just broke up. She had the ability to make us smile and feel good about ourselves. Everyone here will miss her greatly. But I know that she would want us to celebrate her life and not be sad. She would tell us that she is in heaven with Dad, and that “we shouldn’t worry about her”: So, mom, I want to know that I am so very proud to have been your daughter. I am also so very glad that my three wonderful daughters also had been able to spend some time with you in the last year, and I am equally sure that Mary, Matt and your other three granddaughters have cherished the time that they spent with you. We all love you, and you will be in our hearts forever.