Dorothy Jones Shields, retired Director of the AFL-CIO Education Department, died peacefully surrounded by family at Copper Ridge Nursing Home in Sykesville, MD on October 16, 2012, following a Parkinson’s-like illness.
Born in New York, NY on June 2, 1935, Mrs. Shields moved with her family to the Washington, D.C. area after World War II. She was a graduate of Notre Dame Academy (Class of 1953) and Trinity College in DC (Class of 1957, now Trinity Washington University). Mrs. Shields worked from 1964 to 1972 for the public relations and development office at Trinity. In 1972, Mrs. Shields joined the staff of the Education Department of the AFL-CIO, and in 1980, she was honored to become the first woman appointed to a senior management position at the AFL-CIO, when she was promoted to the post of Director of the Education Department. She served in that position until her retirement in 1996.
During her career with the national labor federation, Dorothy was active on numerous boards and advisory panels, including the Board of Trustees of the George Meany Center for Labor Studies in Silver Spring, MD, the Panel of Consultants on Workers Education for the International Labor Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, and the Board of Trustees of the Joint Council on Economic Education. In addition, she was active in the community, serving on the Parish Council and School Board for St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Cheverly, MD, on the Board of Trustees of Elizabeth Seton High School in Bladensburg, MD, and on the Board of Trustees of Trinity College. After her retirement, Mrs. Shields moved to Leisure World of Silver Spring and became active in St. Raphael’s Catholic community in Rockville, MD. She was honored with the Order of Merit in 2002 by the Archdiocese of Washington for her service to the Catholic Church.
Mrs. Shields is survived by her daughter, Mary Barker Bachinger (Chris) of Fairfax, VA, her son, Paul David Barker, Jr. (Amy) of Highland, MD, her stepson, Alfred Allyn Shields of Rupert, WV, her sister, Ann Jones Kittler of Bossier City, LA, four grandchildren, Matthew and Kathleen Bachinger, and Fernando and Grace Barker, and other extended family. Mrs. Shields was married to the late Henry W. Shields of Cheverly, MD on January 1, 1972. He preceded her in death in 1992. A prior marriage to Paul D. Barker of Rockville, MD ended in divorce.
Visitation will be held at Joseph Gawler's Sons, 5130 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20016 on Monday, October 22 from 3 to 6 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be held Tuesday, October 23 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Raphael's Catholic Church, 1513 Dunster Rd., Potomac, MD 20854. Interment immediately following at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 13801 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20906.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, Attention: Tribute Gifts, P.O. Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741.
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