John William Shaughnessy, 62, of Walpole, died Oct. 12 at Cove’s Edge Nursing Home in Damariscotta after a long period of failing health.
John was born Jan. 11, 1946 in Norwalk, Conn., the son of Martin Joseph and Anne Kilroy Shaughnessy, attended Saint John’s Preparatory School in Shrewsbury, Mass., and was a graduate of Worcester Junior College in Worcester, Mass. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1966 until his honorable discharge in 1968.
In the 1980’s he began working at golf courses in Florida and Maine, steadily working his way toward his certification as a Professional Golfer. For a couple of years, he was the golf pro at Wawenock Golf Club in Walpole. Most recently, John earned his certification as a C.N.A and worked for Miles Health, most of the time with Cove’s Edge Nursing Home, but also briefly at the Miles Memorial Hospital in several capacities, retiring after 12 years of service due to his increasingly failing health. He was named C.N.A of the Year after his first full year of employment and was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.
A man who had many interests, lived for golf, loved to play his banjo, travel, including a trip to Ireland, playing cribbage, tennis and skiing. He loved his grandchildren, his 10 nieces and nephews and would never miss an opportunity to attend a family reunion. He was a communicant of St. Patrick’s Church in Newcastle where he sang in the choir.
John is predeceased by his parents, and two brothers, Martin Joseph Shaughnessy and Thomas Aquinas Shaughnessy.
Survivors include his wife Heather Shaughnessy of Walpole; two step sons, Thomas Field and wife Stephanie of Nobleboro, and Peter Field of Cotuit, Mass.; three grandchildren, Benjamin and Lydia Field, both of Nobleboro, and Mariana Field of Cotuit, Mass.; and siblings, Ellen O’Brien and husband Joe of Princeton, Mass., Mike Shaughnessy and wife Stephanie of Sacramento, Cal., Liz McCormack and husband Brad of Orford, N.H., Frank Shaughnessy of Princeton, Mass., Maggie Shaughnessy and companion Mark Basil of Morrisville, Vt., and Bill Shaughnessy and wife Marie Therese of East Greenwich, R.I.
Memorial mass 1 p.m., Sat., Oct. 18 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Newcastle with Rev. Fred Irving as celebrant. Interment will be in St. Patrick’s Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Patrick’s Church, 15 Cottrill Rd., Newcastle, ME 04553.
Arrangements are entrusted to the Hall Funeral Home, 949 Main St., Waldoboro.