Tribute to our Dad

Patrick Ryan Shea was born in Turks Gut, NF (now called Marysvale) on December 2, 1913 to James and Alice (Ryan) Shea. He was the 4th. child of a family of ten. When he was 16 he went to work in the mines at Bell Island and later moved to Sydney, NS where he also worked in the mines for a few years. In 1933 he married our Mother - Gertrude O'Leary, also of Marysvale and they had 11 children. In 1935 he went to work in Buchans, NF as a machinist in the Machine Shop with ASARCO. He moved his family to Brigus in 1944 and continued to work in Buchans, coming home each summer to spend his annual holidays with his family. With the older children moving away from home he then moved his 6 younger children to Buchans in 1959. He continued to work in the Machine Shop until his retirement in 1978. He then moved to Witless Bay and resided there until his death on January 10, 2002.

Our Dad was a very special man who always made each one of his children feel that they were his "favorite"... He was a great story teller and whoever came to visit he always had a story to tell them about his life or something funny that happened to him, one of his children or co-workers. He loved to have his family around and never complained if the noise level got too loud when we played cards or had a party. He would always like to see his grandchildren and great-grandchildren when they visited and they would always leave with "a few dollars" that he kept in his envelope in his chair pocket.

We cannot forget the importance of our Mother in Dads life. She played an important part as both Mother and Father as we grew up in Brigus because Dad was working so far away from his family for 11 months of the year. It was a great responsibility for her to tackle because there were always 4 or 5 children around to make sure we were fed, clothed and kept clean. She had to carry buckets of water from the well which was across the road and this had to be done several times a day with such a large family. But all this she bore without complaining and we can never thank her enough for all she did for us. In the last years of Dads life she was kept busy looking after him as he slowly became bedridden. She still never complained and even when she wasn't feeling well herself she attended to his needs without hesitation. They were married for almost sixty-nine years and she took care of Dad until his death on January 10, 2002.

"Dad, your love has left an imprint that time cannot erase. It has etched its silhouette upon all you have touched."

FOR OUR DAD

Through all your hard work
you gave us a great gift: wisdom.
In a loving way you taught us
to be independent and showed us
we can survive through hardship.
You gave this from your heart
and asked nothing in return.

You gave us many fruits of life,
Peace, Temperance, Hope, Truth, Faith,
Joy, and most of all, Love.
For you've been so many things,
a teacher, friend, and guide,
and the kind of man we look up to
with special love and pride.

We may not have spent as much time together
as we'd like, but you are,
and always will be, an important part
of the memories, thoughts, and dreams
that are closest to our hearts.

All that is left to say is,
"Dad, we love you."

Forever loved by your children: Sister Mary Pius (Nora), Bess, Kathleen, Mary, Carmel, Tom, Sharon, Sylvester, Alice, and Jim.

Also her grandchildren: Patrick, MaryBeth, Mark, Sean, Bernadette, Ray, Annette, Pat, Brian, Stephen, Christine, Lenora, Laurie, Dawn, Jacqueline, Kevin, Paul, Norbert, Rae Ann, Tommy, Tanya, Michael;

and his 33 Great-Grandchildren: Sara, Chelsea, Joe, Erin, Brianne, Maggie, Jonathan, Kyle, Sean, Adam, Samantha, Daniel, Liam, Mikayla, Nick, Colleen, Erin, Conor, Brendan, Brianna, Maria, Shea, Rowan, Caelen, Ryan, Rebecca, Kevin, Gregory, Donovan, Fallon, Brogan, Katie, Tristan, Luke and Ella.