Arthur F. Shea, 90, of Hudson, NH, formerly of Bedford, MA, August 28, 2016

He was born in Providence, Rhode Island and was the son of the late Thomas A. and Mary (McCarthy) Shea.

When he was only 15 years old he had to leave school to help in supporting himself and his three brothers. At 17, he joined the Navy and became a Gunner's Mate, serving in the Mediterranean and Pacific arenas during WWII.

In 1948, he married the former Mary Kelly and eventually bought a home in Bedford in 1958.

Arthur drove a bus for the MBTA for 32 years and continued working as a school bus driver in Bedford during his retirement.

After Mary's sudden death in 1989, he began working at Purity, now Whole Foods, in Bedford, where he continued to work for 26 years until his retirement at the age of 90.

In addition to his job, in his later years he also took up painting, dancing, skating, canoeing, skiing, golfing, biking and dating on Match.com.

In 2000, he decided to fulfill a life-long ambition to earn his GED certificate. He not only earned his GED, but delivered the class graduation speech and was honored by the governor of New Hampshire.

He is survived by his children, Stephen A. Shea of Townsend, Dorothy S. Skelley of Chelmsford, Kathleen A. Shea of The Villages, FL, Patricia M. Shea of Winchester, NH, his brother, Thomas A. Shea of St. Louis, MO, his eight grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife, Mary (Kelly) Shea, his brothers, Robert and Walter Shea and his grandson, Matthew Veits.

His funeral will be held from the Bedford Funeral Home, 167 Great Rd., Bedford, on Friday, September 2, at 9:00 AM, followed by a funeral Mass in St. Michael Church, 90 Concord Rd., Bedford, at 10:00 AM. Visitation at the funeral home on Thursday, September 1, from 4:00-8:00 PM

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517 Topeka, Kansas 66675.