Thomas P. Shea, son of the late Patrick F. and Grace H. Shea, died on September 3, 2024 at Peconic Bay Medical Center. He was 87 Years of age.

He was born on June 26, 1937 in the Bronx where his parents resided. At an early age, the family moved to Cambria Heights in Queens where he attended city schools graduating from Andrew Jackson High School in 1954. After which he completed a bachelors 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, New York. 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 masters 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.

Mr. 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 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, Mr. 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 Will take place at Southampton Cemetery on September 6, 2024. There are no direct survivors.