Janet (Sherry) Shea of Middletown, RI left this earth better than she found it on January 21, 2025 just shy of her 76th birthday. She was born on January 28, 1949 to Jeanne (Mulligan) Sherry and Karl Sherry of Pawtucket, RI. Janet leaves behind her four siblings Barbara Skeffington, Carol Turnier, Jeanne O’Neill, and Karl Sherry. She attended St. Mary Academy – Bay View and Mount St. Joseph College where she earned degrees in both History and Science. She proudly bestowed both subjects upon the next generation of youngsters at Thompson Middle School in Newport, RI for over thirty years.
Janet is survived by her loving husband, Paul Shea of Newport, RI. They were wed in April of 1984 and have since made a beautiful home in Middletown, RI. Here, they raised their two daughters, Colleen and Megan, along with a slew of college aged J1 Visa students from Ireland over the years.
The preeminent host, Janet loved to invite everyone into her thoughtfully curated abode. Passionate about design, Janet incorporated the craftsmanship she developed in her younger years working for designer Richard Carbotti into every aspect of her dwelling. Janet’s hospitality extended beyond her home to all corners of her life. Her infectious laugh, inviting spirit and kind ear left an endearing mark on friends and strangers alike.
One of the many aforementioned J1 visa students recently passed on a fitting Irish adage: Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h’anam dilis, which translates to May her holy soul be on the right side of God.
Visiting hours will be Sunday, January 26 from 2:00pm – 5:00pm at the O’Neill-Hayes Funeral Home, 465 Spring St, Newport, RI. A Mass of Christian burial will be held Monday, January 27 at 10:00am at St. Mary’s Church, corner of Spring St & Memorial Blvd, Newport. Burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Janet’s memory may be made for the Ringfinnan Garden of Remembrance – please make checks payable to Museum of Newport Irish History, PO BOX 1378, Newport, RI 02840 and include “For the Garden” in the memo line.
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