Army Specialist Corey M. Shea, 21
Dateline: Mansfield, MA
United States Army Specialist Corey M. Shea, 21, of Mansfield died courageously on Wednesday November 12, 2008 in Mosul, Iraq while proudly serving his beloved country.
Born in the Brighton section of Boston on August 14, 1987 he was the beloved son of Denise M. Anderson and her husband Jeffrey Margolin of Mansfield and William Shea of Belmont.
Corey spent his younger childhood in Brighton before moving to Mansfield where he grew up and had made his home for the past 15 years.
Educated in Mansfield public schools he was a 2005 graduate of Mansfield High School where he participated in the sports he loved the most, hockey and football. He had attended Bristol Community College in Fall River prior to enlisting in the United States Army. When younger he was a member of the United States Sea Cadets Junior Training Course.
He was extremely proud to be given the chance to serve his country and following enlistment attended boot camp at Fort Knox, Kentucky before serving at Fort Hood, Texas where he received his cavalry training and was a member of the Third Armored Cavalry Regiment. Corey’s unit was deployed to Iraq on November 6, 2007.
While serving in the United States Army, Corey was awarded the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal with Bronze Service Star, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Over Sea’s Service Ribbon, the Combat Action Badge and achieved Expert on his Marksmanship Badge. For bravery and sacrifice for our country, Specialist Shea was awarded the Bronze Star Posthumous and the Purple Heart Posthumous.
A communicant of St. Mary’s Church in Mansfield, Corey was an avid New England sports fan who enjoyed playing video games and was quite an accomplished poker player. He treasured the times spent with his family and hanging out with friends and will always be remembered for his loving personality and how he could always be counted on to lend others a helping hand. If you met Corey once you had a true friend for life.
He had recently come home in October and while on leave he took the time to speak to the students at Mansfield High School about his experiences in Iraq.
In addition to his beloved parents he was the loving and devoted brother of Kristin M. Anderson of Mansfield and Benjamin Margolin of Binghamton, New York. The cherished grandson of Charles and Carol (Babbin) Anderson of Dracut, Corey was the dear nephew of Lynda Anderson of Worcester, Renee O’Neil of Franklin, Deborah Labarge of Sharon, Scott Anderson of Brighton, Paul and Cathy Anderson of Reading, Mike and Joan Ford of Maryland and Cheryl Greenblatt. Also surviving are his devoted cousins Derek Gibbons of Brighton, Katelyn Nicolas of Worcester and many other special aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and comrades in Iraq.
His funeral mass, to which relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend, will be celebrated on Monday November 24th at 11:00 A.M. in St. Mary’s Church 330 Pratt St.(Route 106) Mansfield. Burial with full military honors will follow in the Massachusetts National Cemetery, Bourne.
Visiting hours will be held on Sunday November 23rd from 3-7 P.M. at the Sherman & Jackson Funeral Home 55 North Main St. Mansfield.
Due to the limitation of flowers allowed at the national cemetery and at the request of Corey’s family donations in his memory may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project 7020 AC Skinner Pkwy, Suite 100 Jacksonville, FL 32256 www.woundedwarriorproject.org
For additional information please visit www.shermanjackson.com