Mary Therese Quirk Shay

12/26/2021

Mary Therese Quirk Shay, 84, died peacefully of natural causes at her home in Pensacola, FL on December 26, 2021.

She was born June 30, 1937, in Brooklyn, NY to the late Rose (Cox) and Thomas Quirk. She was married to John “Jack” Shay who predeceased her in 2015. In addition to her husband, her brother, Donald Quirk predeceased her in 2012. Mary was raised in Brooklyn and attended St. Michaels grade school and Bishop McDonald High School where she was selected to become a member of the “French Club” an advanced scholastic group in the school that Mary was very proud of her whole life. After high school she attended Fordham University where she received her BS in education. While teaching school during the day, Mary attended Brooklyn College in the evening to receive her MS in Psychology where upon she became a guidance counselor at Dyker Heights School in Brooklyn.

In 1962, Mary, with her desire to travel, applied for, and was accepted, by the Department of Defense to teach at the Army school in Pirmasens, Germany. While there, she enjoyed traveling all over Europe and Russia. Upon her return to the states, Mary met Jack Shay, a dashing young Naval officer at a USO dance in New York. They married in 1965. After Jack’s military service was completed, Jack found a job on Wall Street and Mary continued her school counseling in Brooklyn. In 1967, Jack took a position at Aetna Insurance in Hartford, CT and the young couple moved to Norfolk, CT. Upon their retirement, both Jack and Mary were involved with many charitable causes, including Hospice, visiting shut-ins, and mentoring prisoners at the Connecticut State Prison. Mary and Jack loved adventure, and when they weren’t seeking out auctions and estate sales, (their favorite past time), they traveled the world meeting many interesting people they kept in touch with over the years.

When Norfolk winters became too unbearable, Mary and Jack sought the warmer temperatures of Pensacola Beach, FL. For years they spent their winter months in Florida and enjoyed the spring and summers at their home in Connecticut and their cabin in Vermont. While in Florida they continued their volunteer work by serving as guides at the National Naval Aviation Museum.

Mary was a conversationalist and there was nothing she liked better than to get into a good conversation, preferably about politics, her favorite subject. There is hardly a politician in the United States who has not gotten a phone call or a post card with a good lashing out from Mary or told how he or she should vote on a bill. Mary was very proud of her Irish heritage. She loved to tell stories of times growing up in Brooklyn. She was a big Yankee fan. As a youth, she would travel alone, taking a bus and two subways to Yankee Stadium to watch games. She knew every stat on every player to the amazement of the adults around her. When the Yankees lost the World Series when Mary was a teenager, she received numerous sympathy cards offering condolences, which she kept and treasured.

Mary had the courage of her convictions even when it was not the easy thing to do. She stood by what she believed was right, no matter what the cost. She was an amazing lady and will be truly missed.

Mary is survived by her brother, Dennis (Lisa) of Norwalk, CT, and Jack’s brother, Richard Shay (Christine) of Albuquerque, NM; several nieces and nephews also survive. She is also survived by her longtime friends and caretakers, Cherie Luther of CT, Evan and Rosemary Crosby of Pensacola, FL and Nerime Sefedini of Torrington, CT.

Funeral arrangements will be private.

Harper-Morris Memorial Chapel in Pensacola, FL are assisting with the arrangements.

Please visit harpermorrismemorialchapel.com to leave condolences or to share a memory.