Shea, Dorothy
Dorothy “Dottie” Rose (Hannon) Shea, 85, of Colchester, beloved wife of David Shea for 62 years, passed into the arms of the Lord at Hartford Hospital on December 20, 2022, after a brief illness. Dottie was born on December 13, 1937, in Hartford to the late William and Dorothy (Lathrop) Hannon and grew up on her family's dairy farm in Tolland. She was a lifetime learner and a
graduate of Mt. St. Joseph Academy in West Harford and Willimantic Teachers College (Eastern Connecticut State University) where she earned both a Bachelor's and Master's of Education. She married the love of her life, her college sweetheart, David Shea, on August 20, 1960, and they made their home in Colchester. Dottie
was born to be a teacher and truly loved her life's calling as a second grade teacher in Colchester, CT for 35 years. Dottie was a faithful communicant at St. Andrew Church, Colchester where she was a former member of the Ladies Guild and the Bereavement Committee. In
her free time, Dottie enjoyed trips to the Cragin Memorial Library to replenish her supply of reading material, maintaining beautiful gardens at both her children's homes and most important to Dottie, spending quality time with her loving family. Her love of music and singing was well known and her laugh infectious. The impact Dottie had on her family and those she loved was immeasurable. In addition to her husband, David Shea, of Colchester, Dottie leaves her daughter, Mary Ellen Mahoney and her husband, John,
of Colchester; her son, John Shea and his wife, Dawn, also of Colchester. She also leaves five grandchildren
and one great grandchild who adored her and were the light of her life, David Mahoney, his wife, Valery and
their son, Léo; Katie Mahoney and her fiancé Eric Jensen; Megan Mahoney; and Caitlin Shea and Cara Shea. Grammy was a second mom and constant teacher to her grandchildren, leaving them with an enduring appreciation for the simple things in life: a loving family, a strong faith, and a beautiful landscape. She will be dearly missed by her sister, Mary Hannon, of Tolland, her brother Bill Hannon and wife, Shirley, of East Orleans, MA, and three sisters in law, Mary Shea Sweeney of Colchester, Eileen Shea Williams, of
Columbia and Nancy Hannon of Coventry, as well as numerous endearing nieces and nephews. Dottie was predeceased by her sister, Elizabeth Dargati and her husband, George and her brother, David Hannon. Dottie's ability to uplift all who met her, to compassionately listen to their stories and to offer unconditional love and support to those in need will always be remembered. She never wanted anything for herself and was truly most happy when she was doing for others, always asking, “What can I do for you?” Her life, her laugh, and her example will be cherished forever. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday, January 2, 2023, at 10 a.m. at St. Andrew Church, 128 Norwich Ave., Colchester. Burial will follow in New St. Andrew Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the Catholic Foundation of the Diocese of Norwich, 197 Broadway, Norwich, CT 06360. To share a memory or express a condolence to the family, please visit: www.auroramccarthyfuneralhome.com