Virginia M. Shea

Virginia Mary Burns Shea, 85, died on April 6th, 2013 in Toms River, NJ. Virginia was born in Flushing, NY, on April 30, 1927. The oldest of 4 children of Gertrude and William Burns, she attended the Juniorate in Flushing Queens, and graduated from Flushing High School. On April 25, 1948, she married John Joseph Shea and they settled in Brooklyn, NY, first on Senator Street and later on East 59th Street. Virginia worked for The Bell Telephone Company for several years before staying home to raise their 5 children. Virginia was a volunteer for the Girl Scouts for over 20 years and eventually was employed by the Girl Scout Council of Greater New York and later Jensen/Boga. She and John moved to Toms River in 1989 where Virginia belonged to the Beachplum Quilters and was the editor for the Holiday Heights newsletter. Virginia enjoyed traveling and saw much of the world with John, often via cruise ship. She had a great interest in genealogy and spent many hours searching her family’s history. Virginia was also an amazing seamstress, making many of her own and her children’s clothing, including her own wedding gown. Virginia also enjoyed embroidery and quilting, winning several awards at quilting shows and often making gifts for her family and friends. Virginia is predeceased by her parents, Gertrude and William Burns and a son Robert.
Survivors: her husband of 64 years, John; her sister Jean Marcel, her brothers William (Betty) Burns and Robert Burns; her children: John (Marcia) Shea of West Chester PA, Kathie (Larry) Contello of Baldwinsville, NY, Stephen (Nadine) Shea of Wesley Chapel, FL, Veronica Shea of Brooklyn, NY, and Louise (Tina) Shea of Long Valley, NJ; 8 grandchildren, 2 Step-grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren, her brothers-in-law Donald Shea, William (Eileen) Shea, her sister-in-law Peggy (Dom) Romano, and more than 30 nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews.
Contributions may be made to American Lung Association, Girl Scouts of the USA or