IN LOVING MEMORY OF
Rhea
Shanahan
February 10, 1934 – April 26, 2011
Obituary
Rhea Jean Shanahan was born February 10, 1934 at Bradford, Pennsylvania to Willard and Estelle (Barnes) Burgess. She died April 26, 2011 at her home on the family farm near Paxton, South Dakota at the age of 77 years.
Rhea grew up in the Bradford area and graduated from high school in 1952. While in high school she was on the .22 rifle shooting team, resulting in shooting a perfect score. After graduation she enlisted in the Air Force, specializing in communications and was stationed in California. It was here that she met and married the love of her life, Francis Shanahan on October 2, 1954 at the Hamilton Air Force Base Chapel. To this union four children were born. After they were honorably discharged, they moved back to Paxton, South Dakota. In 1955 they purchased their farm, where they milked cows for several years.
Rhea loved to crochet anything she could. She collected Holstein milk cow figurines. She loved to garden and visit with the neighbors, her children and especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Rhea joined the Dallas American Legion in 1976, she was the first woman to join and was a charter member. She was also a charter member of the Women's Memorial in Washington, DC.
Rhea was preceded in death by her husband, Francis; her parents; two sisters: Betty Stearns and Donna Ross; one brother, Bill; one nephew, Bill Shananhan; and her brothers-in-law: John Swanda, Pete Ross, Leo Shanahan, John Wranek and Arnold Shanahan.
Rhea is survived by her children: Jerry (Regenia) of Burke, SD; Linda (Jerome) Heyd of Sioux Falls, SD; Paul of Paxton, SD; and Christie (Kerry) Stoops of Sioux Falls, SD; eight grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and three sisters-in-law: Jane Burgess, Mary Swanda and Marcella Shanahan.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, April 29, 2011 at 10:30 AM at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Gregory. Burial will be in the St. John's Catholic Cemetery near Paxton, SD. There will be a rosary on Thursday at 7:00 PM at the Church. Visitation will be one hour prior to both services at the church.
Rhea grew up in the Bradford area and graduated from high school in 1952. While in high school she was on the .22 rifle shooting team, resulting in shooting a perfect score. After graduation she enlisted in the Air Force, specializing in communications and was stationed in California. It was here that she met and married the love of her life, Francis Shanahan on October 2, 1954 at the Hamilton Air Force Base Chapel. To this union four children were born. After they were honorably discharged, they moved back to Paxton, South Dakota. In 1955 they purchased their farm, where they milked cows for several years.
Rhea loved to crochet anything she could. She collected Holstein milk cow figurines. She loved to garden and visit with the neighbors, her children and especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Rhea joined the Dallas American Legion in 1976, she was the first woman to join and was a charter member. She was also a charter member of the Women's Memorial in Washington, DC.
Rhea was preceded in death by her husband, Francis; her parents; two sisters: Betty Stearns and Donna Ross; one brother, Bill; one nephew, Bill Shananhan; and her brothers-in-law: John Swanda, Pete Ross, Leo Shanahan, John Wranek and Arnold Shanahan.
Rhea is survived by her children: Jerry (Regenia) of Burke, SD; Linda (Jerome) Heyd of Sioux Falls, SD; Paul of Paxton, SD; and Christie (Kerry) Stoops of Sioux Falls, SD; eight grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and three sisters-in-law: Jane Burgess, Mary Swanda and Marcella Shanahan.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, April 29, 2011 at 10:30 AM at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Gregory. Burial will be in the St. John's Catholic Cemetery near Paxton, SD. There will be a rosary on Thursday at 7:00 PM at the Church. Visitation will be one hour prior to both services at the church.
To order memorial trees in memory of Rhea Shanahan, please visit our tree store.
Services
Funeral Services
April
29
St. Joseph Catholic Church
Starts at 10:30 am
Rhea Shanahan's Guestbook
Visits: 0
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors