Myrtle Elliott Shea, a saintly wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend, passed peacefully into Christ's arms on Easter Sunday at the age of 89 while at home with her family.

Loving and gentle, she supportively cheered and encouraged her children and grandchildren in all of their sports and endeavors. She was always ready to gather around the dining room table with her husband, kids and grandkids to play contract rummy and spades. As her memory faded, she settled for crazy eights. Myrtle loved growing flowers of all kinds, especially daylilies; caring for her yard; and walking with her friends and family around Fallon Park. She took pride in serving as the first director of Our Lady of Lourdes' LEAP after school program for students.

Myrtle met her husband Mike at a September dance. The two were married six months later at Raleigh's Sacred Heart Cathedral on St. Patrick's Day in 1954. Raised a Southern Baptist, Myrtle became a Catholic in 1959 and attended daily Mass and Bible studies for decades. She was a member of the auxiliary Legion of Mary and enjoyed praying the rosary with her friends after daily Mass. Each week she looked forward to talking and laughing with volunteers who meet at her home before heading to Yokefellows prison ministry with her husband. Her family thankfully remembers her as gentle, faithful, kind, innocent, trusting, loving and ever-reliable.

She is survived by her husband, Wilfred Michael "Mike" Shea; children John, Tim, Julie, Mary, Steve, Mark and Theresa; grandchildren Mitchell and Nicholas Graw, Emily and Brian Shea, and Lowell Hensgen; and sisters Mattie Lou Petrosso, Frances Pouch, and Cynthia Pittman.

She is predeceased by her son Michael; sisters, Beulah May Ward and Kathleen Elliott; and brothers Paul, Leo and Sydney Elliott.

There will be a rosary and visitation on Wednesday, April 19, at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Raleigh followed by a funeral Mass at 11:00 a.m.