Shea, Dennis S's Obituary
Dennis Selee Shea passed away at home in Tierra Verde, Florida, August 25, 2024. He was born November 5, 1943, in Lake Placid, New York to Eugene and Ina Shea. He spent most of his life in St. Petersburg, Florida and graduated from Northeast High School in 1961. Locally he was well known, along with his five siblings, as one of the six “Swimming Sheas” who swam for the St. Petersburg Recreation Department Swim Team. On a lark in 1961, he entered and won the International Amateur Clown Diving competition at Cypress Gardens, Florida. Dennis served as a 2nd Lieutenant in Vietnam with the US Army from 1968-1969. He was eligible for an exemption, but he chose to be deployed because his younger brother, 2nd Lieutenant Daniel Shea, was already serving in Vietnam. In 1971 he graduated from the University of Florida with an MBA degree in accounting and subsequently worked for Arthur Anderson in Atlanta and later for Enron Corporation in Houston, Texas. In 1998 he retired and returned to St. Petersburg to raise his two daughters with his wife, Paula. As a stay-at-home Dad, he was known as Mr. Mom. Dennis considered these his golden years. He was always committed to bettering his community and volunteered at ASAP Women’s Shelter and served as President of the neighborhood HOA for several years. The family graciously welcomed many international exchange students into their home through the exchange program at Shorecrest Preparatory School.
He and his brother, Dana Shea, formed a real estate management company, Selee Management, Inc. with properties he purchased. When his daughters left for college, he expanded his business and partnered with his brother-in-law, Jim Neff, to start J & D Realty Investments, LLC. In his leisure time, he liked to read, bike, and swim. He was a passionate life-long student of American History and the Civil War. He loved all kinds of music – from the country twang of Willie Nelson to the operatic perfection of Pavarotti. He sang and played the guitar at family gatherings and loved to surprise everyone by belting out his Paul Robeson version of “Old Man River.” Dennis was the family jester and always had a joke or story to share. Some were repeated so often he suggested we give them a number and just call out the number and laugh. Most importantly, he inspired others to be kind and accepting to all individuals no matter their identity.
Dennis was blessed with a large and loving family including his wife, Paula; his daughters, Ray and Brandy; his sisters, Nila Shea, Diane Shea-Piser, and Dawn Shea; his brothers, Danny Shea and Dana Shea; his sisters-in-law, Pam Neff and Wendy Wiggs; his brothers-in-law, Jim Neff and Johnny Wiggs. He was “Uncle Dennis” to Rob Tufts, Jay Williams, Shannon Tufts, Britton Tufts, Nila Dawn Williams, Sheanna Jannone Alhqvist, Ryan Shea, Tim Shea, and Matthew Shea, and he was “Uncle Dentist” to Brittany Wiggs Carney, Ashley Wiggs Griffin, Jenna Wiggs, and Cody Neff.
Dennis enjoyed watching the beautiful sunsets at Pass A Grille beach, always hoping for a glimpse of the magical “green flash.” To honor this tradition, family and friends are invited to A Celebration of Life to be held Friday, October 4, 2024, on Pass A Grille beach at Hurley Park, 1500 Pass A Grille Way, St Pete Beach, FL from 5:00 pm to sunset.
“Sunsets are proof that endings can be beautiful, too”
Beau Taplin
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