“The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world”. W.R. Wallace
Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Hockey Mom, Sister, Aunt, Matriarch, Perpetual Nurturer, Gardener, Seamstress, Guiding Light, Member of the Catholic Women’s League, Stalwart of the Catholic Church. George Jones sang an epic country song about his Mother titled “She Loved A Lot In Her Time” and for our Mother we feel George Jones could not have said it any better. Mom was a perpetual nurturer and lived a life devoted to her husband, seven children, nine grandchildren, extended family and many friends. She incessantly nourished and encouraged. Mom counselled us to believe in ourselves, teaching us to stand up for things worth defending and to develop our full potential. Mom exemplified compassion, making it easy for us to understand the importance of helping others. Mom was ever vigilant in ensuring the safety and protection of her family; surely no mother could claim to have done more to put the interests of others ahead of her own. She demonstrated a life of pragmatism and modesty - if resources were in short supply she would gently counsel us to “make do” and assure us that better days lay ahead. Raising seven “special” children with her husband Jack of 53 years and later doting on nine beloved grandchildren was her passion; Mom delighted and revelled in the various successes and accomplishments of her progeny. Jenny Shea left her scenic and happy home in Fleur de Lys, White Bay at the tender age of 17 to find her own way in the world. She took the steamer to Lewisporte and made her way west, where her sister, Betty, was working in the office at Riff’s Department Store in Windsor. Mom also secured a job at Riff’s, in the Men’s department. One day a young, handsome, and dashing Jack Power appeared in front of this vivacious young beauty and asked Mom to cash his pay cheque. Mom dutifully passed the cash to our Dad and shortly thereafter noticed that Dad had not endorsed the cheque. Mom, in a panic, asked someone to cover her post and fled to the Windsor pool hall where Dad was holding court. Flushed, Mom knocked on the door and asked Dad to please sign the cheque. Dad agreed, on the condition that Mom join him at the Globe restaurant for coconut cream pie and a glass of milk. Mom acquiesced; such began a 55 year enduring and powerful romance. Like many women of her generation, Mom delivered children in rapid fire succession and was thrilled to do so: Garry arrived in December, 1958, Valerie followed 13 months later, Leo 16 months after Valerie, Jackie 14 months after Leo, Tony 23 months after Jackie, Lori Ann 34 months after Tony, and Cory 45 months after Lori Ann. At the age of 40, Mom had the foresight to encourage Dad to seek new horizons for the family. Dad rose to the challenge, finding employment in the Port Hardy Utah Copper Mine on Vancouver Island, British Columbia where Mom’s sister, Myrtle, and brother-in-law, Pat Dempsey, were working. We all headed west to join Dad thereafter. We are eternally grateful for this wonderful life experience which was instrumental in teaching us about our wonderful country of Canada and its beautiful people. Like her Mom before her, Mom stood up when she couldn’t stand. From her hospital bed, hours before she passed away, she was inquiring about the health and well being of family and friends. Mom was a fashionista. She loved to dress elegantly and possessed a healthy dose of vanity. The day before she passed away, Mom told us how happy she was with the care she was receiving from the staff, nurses, and doctors of the Central Newfoundland Regional Health Centre and of course we agree. Mom was particularly pleased with a young nurse who told her how beautiful and young she looked at 72. Mom said “Even if it is a lie, I’ll take it”. Mom and Dad were music afficionados and loved to dance. In recent years, Dad recorded three albums of their songs. Mom continued to unabashedly proclaim her lifetime conviction that Dad was her favourite singer. She loved Dad’s rendition of “We Started Out Young” and he loved singing it to her. She was an avid gardener and cherished working the soil to extract maximum colour and life. Mom also loved the outdoors and particularly enjoyed the great Newfoundland tradition of blueberry picking in early fall. She was also an accomplished seamstress. Feeding a large family required considerable culinary skill and we all savoured her “million dollar” raisin bread and Sunday dinners and the always sumptuous Christmas dinner. The Christmas season was Mom’s favourite time of year - a holy time, a family time, a giving time. Family was everything to Mom. Her mom and dad, Leo and Catherine Shea, sisters, Betty, Von, Shirley, Myrtle, Cathy, and Stachie, brothers, Bill, Jimmy, Leo, and Angus were loved, along with their spouses and families. They were constants in her life. Her in-laws Clara, Ned, Ann, Bride, Ray, Eileen, Pat, Tyrone, Maureen, Ed, Kay, Yvonne, Dennis, Wayne, and Terry, together with their spouses and families, were also deeply loved. We wish to thank Mom’s true lifelong friends, Ruby, Joan, Olive, Helen, Gert, Loretta, Carm, and Ethel who shared their faith, child rearing, recipes, mutual love, and much more. Thank you to Mom’s health care providers, our extended family, and many friends for your support and love. A sincere thank you to Father Houlahan, Father Hearn, Father Morris, Sister Connie, the CWL, and St. Joseph’s Parish. Mom’s great love affair with the Catholic Church was rooted in the beliefs of a stalwart and she will find comfort in heaven, watching us continue her beliefs and values. Lucid and engaged until her final day on earth, Mom responded to her heavenly calling and passed away with her family at her bedside, at peace with herself and God.
Mom, may you rest in peace. We love you.
She was predeceased by her parents, Catherine and Leo Shea; sister, Anne Shea, brother, Leo. She leaves to mourn her husband John (Jack) W. Power; children, Garry (Bev), Valerie (Dayne), Leo, Jackie (Gary), Tony (Lea Anne), Lori Ann (Todd), Cory (Trish), Grandchildren Jarvis, Cindy, Krizia, Sam, Sarah, Olivia, Jacob, Quaid, and Reegan. Her sisters and brothers, Elizabeth, Veronica, Shirley, Myrtle, Cathy, Anastasia, William, James, and Angus. Father Wm Houlahan and Father Eugene Morris conducted Funeral Mass at St. Joseph’s Parish with interment at the Roman Catholic Cemetery. Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Hoskins Funeral Home, Grand Falls-Windsor. Pallbearers were Garry Power, Leo Power, Tony Power, Cory Power, Gary Moore, and Todd Barron. Honourary pallbearers Sam Moore, Dayne Roland, William Shea, James Shea, and Angus Shea. For condolences online visit www.hoskinsfuneralhomes.ca