Thomas P. Shea of Water Mill died on September 3 at Peconic Bay Medical Center. He was 87.
He was born on June 26, 1937 to Patrick F. and Grace H. Shea in the Bronx, where his parents resided. At an early age, the family moved to Cambria Heights in Queens, where he attended city schools. He graduated from Andrew Jackson High School in 1954, after which he completed a bachelor’s degree at the State University of New York at Cortland in 1958.
Upon college graduation, he began working as an elementary school teacher in Merrick. At that time, his family moved to Merrick, and while teaching he attended graduate school at St. John’s University in Queens, from which he earned his master’s degree in education. For a short period in 1969, he worked as a guidance counselor for the Merrick School District, after which he became employed as the dean of men and later dean of students at the St. John’s University Hillcrest campus. In 1970, he resumed his teaching career at Jericho Public Schools, from which he retired in 1992.
Shea enjoyed recreational sports. He skied during the winter and surfed in the summer. In time, his love of surfing brought him to the East End of Long Island, where he resided in Hampton Bays, and then more recently in Water Mill.
His interest in water sports changed from surfing to sailing to wind surfing. Oddly enough, he surfed in five foreign countries before enjoying the sport on Long Island.
In later years, Shea traveled extensively, with journeys to six continents.
He also became active for a short period in Southampton Town community action circles, the Water Mill Citizens Advisory Committee and the Town of Southampton Transportation Commission.
Burial took place at Southampton Cemetery on September 6. There were no direct survivors.
Staff Writer on Sep 9, 2024