Harold Shea Jr.

Harold Shea Jr.

Harold Shea Jr. of Lake Forest Park, WA, passed away peacefully on June 4, 2025, at the age of 88, surrounded by his family.

A devoted Catholic, Harold requested that the Rosary be read before his funeral and burial. The Rosary will be held Thursday, June 12 at 6:00 PM at St. Catherine of Siena Church (814 NE 85th Street, Seattle, WA 98115). The funeral Mass will follow on Friday, June 13 at 12:30 PM at the same location, with a reception to follow at St. Catherine’s hall. Burial will take place Saturday, June 14 at 10:00 AM at Holyrood Catholic Cemetery (205 NE 205th Street, Shoreline, WA 98155).

Born on May 25, 1937, in Worcester, MA, Harold was the son of Harold Shea Sr. and Germaine Gingras.

Captivated by airplanes from a young age, Harold pursued a degree in engineering and, at just 20, moved to Seattle to begin a lifelong career at Boeing. Among his many accomplishments, Harold worked on the CIM-10 Bomarc supersonic surface-to-air missile, the Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar spaceplane project, and NASA’s early Apollo missions, contributing to the Saturn V rocket. He went on to work on hydrofoil boats, spent 15 years on the 747 program, contributed to Boeing’s early CAD/CAM systems, and served in Material Operations. He was also part of the original team that developed the Boeing 777. Harold retired as Senior Manager of the Operations Material Division, leaving behind a legacy of innovation and leadership.

Harold was preceded in death by his parents; his son Daniel (age 56); siblings Barbara, Frank, and James; in-laws Matthew and Margaret Moskal; and siblings-in-law Bob, Cese, Eddie, and Hal. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, his best friend and the love of his life, Ethel Rose Moskal Shea.

Harold frequently thanked God for bringing Ethel into his life. His family found many heartfelt love letters they exchanged over the years. Harold will be watching his family from heaven and can’t wait to welcome Ethel some day with a big kiss and hug.

He is also survived by siblings Peggy (George) and Gerry (Rita), in-laws Anne, Harry and Phyllis, his children: Erin (Carlos) Angulo Shea, Michael (Sandy), Patrick (Amy), Timothy (Janet), Harold III (Michelle), and daughter-in-law Teresa (Dan’s widow); 14 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews.

A passionate sports fan, Harold enjoyed college basketball at Holy Cross, where he saw legends like Bob Cousy and Tommy Heinsohn compete against Bill Russell and other greats. A loyal Celtics and Red Sox fan, he shared stories of watching Ted Williams play against Mickey Mantle and other Yankee greats. He became a Seattle Mariners fan, holding original season tickets from 1977 to the late 1980s and took great joy sharing his love of sports with his children. He also enjoyed following the Seahawks, Huskies, and Sonics—but most of all, he loved watching his children play sports. Around 1974, he built a half-court cement basketball court in the backyard, where countless neighborhood games took place. He often challenged his children to free-throw contests and games of HORSE or PIG, showing off his Kareem-style hook shot.

A longtime member of St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, Harold volunteered in many roles over nearly 60 years including He also volunteered as a coach for most of his children’s teams through the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO). During the pandemic, he and Ethel watched Mass virtually with Father Michael Schmitz due to Harold’s compromised immune system from Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL).

Harold’s greatest pride was his family. He didn’t often talk about himself, but he loved sharing about his children and grandchildren. He and Ethel were longtime supporters of causes dear to them, including St. John’s High School (MA), Holy Names Academy (Seattle), St. Catherine of Siena Church, and a number of other charitable organizations.