Obituary for Raymond F. Shea Jr.
Peacefully and surrounded by his family, Raymond F. Shea Jr. passed away on March 24, 2021 at the age of 78.
Ray was born on March 12, 1943 in Brooklyn, NY to his parents Raymond Shea Sr. and Rita Shea. He grew up in New York City, and met Suzanne, his bride of 54 years in Breezy Point, Queens NY.
After graduating from LaSalle University and St. John’s University law school, Ray and Suzie made their way to New Jersey to begin their family and Ray’s career in law.
Ray was a visionary. A dreamer. A creator. A humanitarian. However, his proudest title was that of a family man. We couldn’t possibly do justice to all his accomplishments throughout his lifetime in this piece. Although Ray was a successful attorney by trade, he was also a real estate developer, co- creator of Laurita Winery, and a true philanthropist. He dedicated his time and expertise to healthcare and education for over 40 years. A proud member of the board for both the Saint Barnabas Healthcare System and Georgian Court University, he worked tirelessly to support these great institutions & many others as well.
Ray was an ardent supporter of the underdog. People came to Ray with their dreams as well as their burdens. He always took the time to listen, to understand, to provide council and truly care for those who needed it most. His wisdom regarding life’s challenges was profound.
Our Kate lost her battle to Leukemia at the age of 25 in 1998. Our journey as a family to honor Kate’s life began shortly thereafter. To do his part, Ray committed himself to completing 25 marathons:, one for each year Kate was with us. Those 25 marathons came and went, but he kept walking. He did so to the tune of 39 marathons, side by side with his Team In Training family who he loved deeply.
The Institutions of both Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington and The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City became interwoven with his efforts to cure Leukemia. After the loss of his Kate, the Kate Shea Foundation was created by friends and family to raise money for cancer research. The driving force for the foundation’s fundraising efforts is the annual Bay Head 5k Memory Run that began in 2003. Ray was so proud of this yearly race. One of his greatest pleasures was serving as the master of ceremonies year in and year out.
Ray is survived by his wife Suzanne; daughter Erin Shea-Farber and partner Joseph Dayon; son Edward and wife Cristina Shea; son Timothy Shea; daughter Megan and husband Daniel Bowles; grandchildren Ryan, Alex, Katie, and Shea; and his sister Liz and husband Chet Jakubowski.
Respectfully, services will be private due to Covid concerns.
There will be a celebration of Ray’s life for all friends and family to gather in remembrance at a future date.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Ray’s memory to The Kate Shea Foundation at www.bayhead5k.com
Ray was born on March 12, 1943 in Brooklyn, NY to his parents Raymond Shea Sr. and Rita Shea. He grew up in New York City, and met Suzanne, his bride of 54 years in Breezy Point, Queens NY.
After graduating from LaSalle University and St. John’s University law school, Ray and Suzie made their way to New Jersey to begin their family and Ray’s career in law.
Ray was a visionary. A dreamer. A creator. A humanitarian. However, his proudest title was that of a family man. We couldn’t possibly do justice to all his accomplishments throughout his lifetime in this piece. Although Ray was a successful attorney by trade, he was also a real estate developer, co- creator of Laurita Winery, and a true philanthropist. He dedicated his time and expertise to healthcare and education for over 40 years. A proud member of the board for both the Saint Barnabas Healthcare System and Georgian Court University, he worked tirelessly to support these great institutions & many others as well.
Ray was an ardent supporter of the underdog. People came to Ray with their dreams as well as their burdens. He always took the time to listen, to understand, to provide council and truly care for those who needed it most. His wisdom regarding life’s challenges was profound.
Our Kate lost her battle to Leukemia at the age of 25 in 1998. Our journey as a family to honor Kate’s life began shortly thereafter. To do his part, Ray committed himself to completing 25 marathons:, one for each year Kate was with us. Those 25 marathons came and went, but he kept walking. He did so to the tune of 39 marathons, side by side with his Team In Training family who he loved deeply.
The Institutions of both Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington and The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City became interwoven with his efforts to cure Leukemia. After the loss of his Kate, the Kate Shea Foundation was created by friends and family to raise money for cancer research. The driving force for the foundation’s fundraising efforts is the annual Bay Head 5k Memory Run that began in 2003. Ray was so proud of this yearly race. One of his greatest pleasures was serving as the master of ceremonies year in and year out.
Ray is survived by his wife Suzanne; daughter Erin Shea-Farber and partner Joseph Dayon; son Edward and wife Cristina Shea; son Timothy Shea; daughter Megan and husband Daniel Bowles; grandchildren Ryan, Alex, Katie, and Shea; and his sister Liz and husband Chet Jakubowski.
Respectfully, services will be private due to Covid concerns.
There will be a celebration of Ray’s life for all friends and family to gather in remembrance at a future date.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Ray’s memory to The Kate Shea Foundation at www.bayhead5k.com