Eugene Shea

Eugene "Gene" Shea, age 86, died Tuesday, March 31, 2015, in Hollywood, Fla. Born Aug. 14, 1928, to the late Laurello and Alice (Sweeney) Shea in Waukegan.

Gene graduated from Waukegan High School and Received a BS degree in Elementary Education from National Lewis University. He began teaching baton twirling lessons at the age of 18 at the YMCA and the Catholic Community Center in Waukegan before owning and operating Shea's Baton and Dance Studio on Grand Avenue in Waukegan for many, many years. He was a member of the National Baton Twirling Judges Association and active until time of death. He was presented the Twirl Mania Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 in Orlando, Fla. Gene taught baton for 60 some years.

In 1950, Gene entered the U.S. Army and served in the Korean Conflict in the field artillery. He taught elementary education at Immaculate Conception School in Waukegan as well as Oakland Grade School and Antioch Grade School in Antioch, IL.

He is survived by one brother, George Shea (Wadsworth) and two sisters Alice (Warren "Butch") Brownlee (Lake Villa) and Anne Shea (Wadsworth) and also, too numerous to mention, are all of his former students and fellow baton twirling enthusiasts from throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Burial will take place at the South Florida Veterans National Cemetery in Lake Worth, Fla. By his request there will be no public funeral service.

Serenity Funeral Home and Cremation has been entrusted with the funeral arrangements.