Edward Shea

Edward Emmet Shea, lawyer, executive, educator and writer, departed this life on August 25th. Ed was born on May 29, 1932, Detroit. He was the first of five children born to Edward Francis, a postman and Margaret Kathleen (Downey) Shea, a teacher. He married Ann Marie Conley August 28, 1957 in Wyandotte, MI.

He graduated from Catholic Central High in Detroit, the University of Detroit (A.B., 1954) and the University of Michigan Law School (LL.B., 1957). He served as a Lieutenant, Assistant Staff Judge Advocate, in the U.S. Air Force from 1957-1960.

Following his military service he worked for Simpson, Thatcher and for Dykema, Wheat (now Dykema Gossett). In 1969 he was recruited by Cadwalader, Wickersham and Taft in NY due to his experience in securities law. While there he was introduced to Henry Reichhold, founder of Fortune 500 member Reichhold Chemical Company. He joined Reichhold in 1972 as Vice President General Counsel and eventually became Chairman of the Board. Following a reorganization he joined Windels, Marx but soon was back in the chemical industry. He joined the investor team led by Samuel Heyman that arranged a takeover of the GAF corporation in 1982. He served as on the board and as VP General Counsel of GAF through the tumultuous attempted buyout of industrial giant Union Carbide.

In 1986 he rejoined Windels. He was a true legal polymath working on a diversity of cases until his final illness.

Alongside his law practice, Ed served as Adjunct Professor of Finance at the Lubin Graduate School of Business of Pace University for nearly 40 years, and as a lecturer at the New York Institute of Finance. He authored books on acquisitions and environmental regulations and wrote numerous articles for legal journals. His last article, co-authored with his long time friend and colleague Dr. Edmund Mantell, was published in 2021. While confined at home in the past months he consoled himself by planning to use the time to do more writing.

Ed had a lifelong love of opera and theater. His children grew up to Gilbert and Sullivan, Handel, Verdi, Mozart and Wagner (as well as Johnny Cash and Tom Lehrer). He sang with the Mendelssohn Glee Club in NYC and the Westchester Chorale. He directed a choir while serving in the U.S. Air Force. He served as trustee and treasurer at the Pearl Theater, and as a board member of the Theater for the New City in New York City.

Ed is survived by his wife Ann of Scarsdale, children Michael (Sharon) of Bethel, CT, Ann Maura (Colin) of Littleton, MA and Ellen of Peekskill, NY and Noyers sur Serein, France as well as seven grandchildren. He was predeceased by his brothers David and Richard and is survived by his sisters Mary Alice Murphy of Phoenix, AZ and Peggy Styer of Sarasota, FL.

Ed was a caring father, tremendous teacher, valued counselor, precise writer, loyal friend and inspiration to so many. His final days were spent in well deserved peace under the care of the staff at White Plains Hospital.

A requiem mass will be celebrated Thursday September 1 at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Scarsdale. In lieu of flowers the Shea family suggests that donations in his memory be made to the Theater for the New City (https://theaterforthenewcity.net/donate/).

“Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. From henceforth now, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors. For their works follow them” – Revelation 14:13.