James Edward Shea, Matawan, NJ

I first met Jim Shea when I was working for the late Bill George of the Amboy Beacon. My first impression of Jim was, “Wow, is this guy tall!” But he was also a big pussycat – at least in my opinion. He always had a twinkle in his eye and a mischievous smile, sort of like the cat that swallowed the canary.

Jim was one of Bill’s go-to guys when he needed photos taken of city events in Perth Amboy to be published in the newspaper. One such event was the annual Roberto Clemente Gala put on by PRAHD. Jim was the photographer who covered most of the PRAHD events for the paper.

One time Jim had an assignment for me. He asked me if I could take pictures at the PRAHD Roberto Clemente Gala. He was going on a family cruise that was leaving on the same day. I was very nervous about this assignment because Jim was an outstanding photographer who always did such a fantastic job capturing each moment. When I showed Jim the pictures I took, he was very pleased. And I took a big sigh of relief. Jim’s approval meant a lot to me.

But the biggest accomplishment that Jim Shea achieved for Bill had nothing to do with photography. Bill asked Jim if he could cover the trial of former Mayor Joe Vas. Jim went above and beyond what was required of him. Jim did such an outstanding job on the story that he was often complimented by those who read his articles on the trial. People would tell Jim that you did a better job than the reporters from the daily newspapers.

Jim had tidbits and observations of what was being said, not only of the witnesses and lawyers, but of whispers exchanged between observers seated in the courtroom during the proceedings.

This is what made Jim’s accounts different from traditional reporting. He also observed the interactions between those on trial and their family members.

Jim also took photos for the Amboy Beacon of the first Perth Amboy Susan Komen run (Pink Ribbon Run for Breast Cancer) in September 2010. Jim’s photos were so outstanding that the City of Perth Amboy asked for copies to put on their website. Jim was honored to do so.

He was very proud of that request and when he told Bill and me he had a big smile on his face.

Jim was very proud of his family. I had invited Jim and his wife, Liz to my birthday celebration on the Cornucopia Cruise Line. I had sent out invites to about 30 friends and relatives. Jim asked if he could bring his two sons, his daughter-in-law and grandchildren. I said, “Don’t worry, just bring them. I have extra tickets, so that will be fine.”

This was a fun trip not only because it was my birthday celebration, but I was able to see another part of Jim. It was a joy watching him and his wife, Liz having a great time with their family. It was as if it was his birthday celebration and this helped make my day because Jim and his family became part of my family that day.

After Bill passed away, Jim became one of my biggest cheerleaders when I started the Amboy Guardian. He was very pleased at how I expanded the paper, injecting my own personality into it. This meant a lot to me.

He would treat me to breakfast at the Reo Diner almost on a weekly basis. Carefully looking at the menu and picking out what he wanted Jim would often say, “Liz (his wife) would probably not want him to have this.” He had been on a restrictive diet because he had been hospitalized with a medical condition. He couldn’t get away with lying about what he ate because she was a nurse and new how to check for signs to see if he had been a good or bad boy. More often than not, after leaving the Reo Diner he would make a stop at a chicken place on New Brunswick Avenue in Perth Amboy for takeout. He would say to me, “Carolyn, get what you want, I’m paying.”

He knew that fried chicken was a big no-no but he just couldn’t resist, especially the fried chicken from this particular place. I hadn’t seen Jim in months because he was involved in politics and was helping candidates that he supported to get elected in his home town. He promised me that once things settled down politically we would go back to having our weekly breakfast dates. Unfortunately, he was having health problems that did not allow him to be able to go as freely as before.

Jim was also involved in civic organizations that took up a lot of his time.

Late last week a call came in on my cell phone and it displayed Jim Shea. The first thing I said was, “Jim Shea! Well, how are you?” The person who spoke on the other end was not Jim, but his wife, Liz who gave me the sad news that he had passed away.

It’s a comfort to me and I hope to the family to know just how much he appreciated them and how much I appreciated him. Knowing he’s up there with the rest of my guys gives me peace.

Carolyn Maxwell