Pauline’s Obituary Pauline Therese (Fisette) Shea, age 89, of Somerset, passed away Friday, May 17, 2019 at Somerset Ridge Center. She was the wife of the late, Joseph J. Shea. No one could laugh easier, tie a shoelace faster, or blow a two-fingered whistle louder than Pauline Therese Fisette Shea.
Born in Fall River, MA on July 6, 1929, ‘Pete’ (from her first two initials P.T.), as she was known by all who loved her, was the youngest of Leo Napoleon and Irene Blanche (Gamache) Fisette’s four children. After a joyful childhood including shooting marbles with the boys, assisting her brother Daniel on his paper route and chaperoning her older sister’s dates, she graduated from Dominican Academy before earning an associate’s degree from Katherine Gibbs Secretarial School in Providence RI. After marrying Joseph J. Shea in 1952 and moving to Virginia, she worked at the Pentagon to support them while he attended medical school until the birth of her first child, Nancy Claire.
Upon returning to Massachusetts, she gave life to Stephen Michael, Mark Joseph and Susan Ann. A homemaker with an engineer’s mind, she could fix anything that broke either inside or outside the house. One of her biggest heartaches was divorcing Dr. Shea in the 1970’s after which she became a skilled single parent who instilled a great love for learning and a greater appreciation for the written word, but was also quick to laugh and never met a pun she didn’t like.
Sunday afternoons found her avidly working the New York Times crossword puzzle after church service – a frequently successful endeavor that showcased her unusually strong vocabulary. An unsung superhero, she single-handedly raised four children, kept house, nurse-maided an invalid son (Mark died of muscular dystrophy in 1979), looked after her mother next door, and maintained both properties year ‘round, all while performing her duties as secretary and librarian at Holy Name School in Fall River. An accomplished pianist, she also enjoyed long walks, knitting, crochet, needlepoint, puzzles and history, and was a big Tom Brady and Johnny Damon fan.
She was funny, intelligent, industrious and loving, and she will surely be missed by all whose lives she touched. She leaves behind her three surviving children, their spouses, six grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and five nieces and nephews. Pauline’s funeral will be held on Thursday, May 23, 2019 at 9:00AM from the Boule Funeral Home, 615 Broadway, Fall River MA followed by a Funeral Mass at 10:00AM in Holy Name Church, 709 Hanover Street, Fall River.
Viewing hours at Boule will be from 4:00PM to 7:00PM on Wednesday, May 22nd.
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