Jim Shea

James Patrick Shea, 90 passed away peacefully in the early hours of March 4,,2014. He was born to Claude and Clara Shea, April 9, 1923 in Olympia, Washington. They moved to Ahtanum, WA where his sister Annabell was born in 1929. They moved to Outlook and eventually they settled in the Buena area. Jim became close friends with neighbor, Marion Palen, who invited him to dinner one evening where he was introduced to sister, Bertha Dorris Palen. Jim and Bertha were married on July 31, 1942. Their first child, Patsy Ann Shea, was born in November of 1944. In 1947 their son, Michael Patrick joined the family and soon after, in 1948, Terresa Lee was born. In 1955 Mary Margaret was born and lastly Jeanette Marie was born in 1960. With a large family and eventually the addition of grandchildren, family celebrations were always a whirlwind of pinochle, rummy, potlucks, and laughter. Jim was always in top form with his lightning quick wit, sense of humor, a never ending supply of jokes and the occasional practical joke. He was very well liked and respected so it was never a surprise when someone would just pull into the driveway to visit for a few hours or a few days. Jim was a born mechanic. He took apart his first car engine while only in his teens. He worked as a head mechanic at a Chrysler dealership in Toppenish for some time until it burnt down. He then opened his own auto repair shop “Auto Clinic” and repaired cars until he injured his back and began driving bus for the Toppenish School District. In 1963 he was asked to teach auto shop for Toppenish High School and did that until he retired in 1978. Even after retirement you could always find him in his shop at home tinkering with something or tending to his extensive garden where everything was grown to perfection and if it could be canned… it would be canned. Not keeping his talents limited to auto repair and gardening he also built magnificent clocks for family and friends as well as painting beautiful paintings. Not known for sitting around, Jim and Bertha were avid campers. Belonging to the “Good Sam” club, they had many adventures with travel trailer in tow, to familiar favorite campsites within the State with family and or the group. When they weren’t hosting campsites with friends, they enjoyed getting together weekly to play pinochle. The group consisted of about 12 couples from the Toppenish area that were close friends and kept these traditions for many years. Eventually Jim and Bertha’s travels lead them to Black Rock Arizona where they purchased a home and lived 6 months out of the year. In 1987 Jim and Bertha, on their 45th wedding anniversary, renewed their vows in the front yard of their home surrounded by family and friends. After 61 years of marriage he lost the love of his life, Bertha, August 20, 2001. After some time he married Gladys Biggerstaff and they continued to travel to Arizona for 6 months of the year. As health became challenged they moved closer to family in Duvall where he was compassionately cared for until his passing. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, wife Bertha, daughter Patsy and son-in-law Bob Bell and sister Annebell Munson Froemke. He is survived by his wife Gladys of Duvall, WA; son, Mike (Mary Anne) Shea of Carbonado, WA; daughters, Terri Hutt of Zillah, Mary (Wayne) Heikkila of Portland, OR, and Jeanie (Robert) Froemke of Zillah; 10 grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren, and 2 great great grandchildren as well as many nieces and nephews. Visitation will be held Friday, March 14, 2014 from 12pm-7pm at Valley Hills Funeral Home in Zillah. Funeral services will be 2pm Saturday, March 15, 2014 at Mountain View Fellowship (formerly Zillah First Baptist Church) 1504 Second Avenue in Zillah. Valley Hills Funeral Home is in care of the arrangements. Online tributes can be left at www.valleyhillsfh.com To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Jim Shea, please visit our flower store.