Beverly A. (Dennison) Shea

WILMINGTON, MA — Beverly Ann (Dennison) Shea, age 89, of Wilmington, passed away peacefully on August 10, 2022.

Beverly was born in Portland, Maine to the late James and Mary (Small) Dennison. The family soon moved to Melrose, Massachusetts, where Beverly and her sisters grew up in a close community of friends and family.  Although Melrose residents, the family’s true heart was at their summer home on Peaks Island, Maine. It was on Peaks Island that Beverly and each of her sisters met their future husbands. The “Island” was the center of all their family gatherings and summer vacations.

Beverly attended Bates College and, in later years, Simmons University where she got her Masters in Library Science. After graduating from Bates, she began her life-long career as an educator. After Beverly married her husband Paul, they moved to Wilmington Massachusetts where they raised their son and daughter. Beverly continued her vocation teaching in the Wilmington Public Schools for over 30 years – first in the classroom teaching English and then as the school librarian at the town’s High School. For her years of dedicated service to the Wilmington Public Schools, she was awarded the coveted Baldwin Apple statuette.

Beverly’s dedication to the town of Wilmington extended beyond Wilmington High School. She was the President of Wilmington Community Schools from 1982 – 1989. Beverly worked to help support Wilmington Community Television from its inception and served 10 years on the Wilmington Conservation Commission – several as Chair. She was a member of the Open Space and Recreation Committee and participated in the development of the town’s Open Space and Recreation Plan. Beverly also collaborated in the development of the town’s Master Plan. She finished her years of dedicated volunteerism for the town with a tenure on the Executive Committee of the Friends of the Library. Her service to the town was captured in a video interview as part of the Wilmington Mass Memories Road Show in 2017.

Beverly’s unending energy did not stop at volunteering. She was an avid bird watcher, reader, and life-long learner. She and Paul travelled the country and the world with friends and family and enthusiastically dove into every adventure. Although, her smile and laugh were her signature; it was her fashion sense that was her true art. Whether you know her as Mrs. Shea, Beverly, Bev, Mum or Grammie, you knew her as a fashionista – always impeccably dressed for every occasion.

Beverly was the beloved wife of Paul H. Shea, devoted mother of Stephanie Cunningham & her husband Bill of Rockport and John W. Shea & his wife Corinne of Reading. Loving “Grammie” of Lucas, Jenna, and Samuel Cunningham, John Shea II, and Cole Shea & his wife Rochelle. Cherished daughter of the late James and Mary (Small) Dennison, dear sister of Brenda Town & her late husband Hartley of Freeport, ME, Janet Tuttle of North Carolina and the late James Dennison & his late wife Penelope. Beverly is further survived by many special nieces, nephews and their families.

Family and friends will gather for Visiting Hours at the Nichols Funeral Home, 187 Middlesex Ave. (Rte. 62), Wilmington, MA, on Monday, August 15th from 5:00-7:00 p.m. A Service to celebrate Beverly’s life will be held at the Funeral Home on Tuesday, August 16th at 11:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Beverly’s memory to the Mass. Audubon Society and mail to the Development Office, Mass Audubon, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 or visit http://www.massaudubon.org.