Helene (Cleveland) McShea

Helene Caroline McShea, 93, died at home on the evening of August 29, 2023 surrounded by her three children and numerous other family members.

Helene, the daughter of Thomas and Ella Mae Cleveland, was born at Pennsylvania Hospital on September 15, 1929. She grew-up in the Wissahickon neighborhood of Philadelphia and, following her marriage, in 1954, lived the remainder of her life in Roxborough. During her childhood and through most of her adult life, Helene was a devoted parishioner at St. John the Baptist in Manayunk, where she had also attended both primary and high school. For the past twenty-five years, Helene was a parishioner at Immaculate Heart of Mary in Andorra.

Helene was the matriarch of a large and loving family to whom she was devoted and who were devoted to her. Whether they knew her as Helene, Mom, Aunt Sis, Lil or Gram, all who knew Helene are familiar with her deep, infectious laugh, beautiful smile and the ability to always give the right piece of advice. In 1954 Helene married the love of her life, Joseph McShea. Together, they raised three children, traveled extensively and went to dinner and dancing almost every Saturday night. Joe and Helene were at the center of a large family circle that included siblings, in-laws, nieces and nephews and cousins too numerous to count.

Helene was predeceased by her husband of 40 years, Joseph McShea, in 1995, and was also predeceased by her parents, Thomas and Ella Mae Cleveland, née Leaver, her sister, Mary Cawley, her brothers, Thomas Cleveland, Jr. and William Cleveland and by her great-granddaughter, Mackenzie Grace Murphy. Helene is survived by her three children, Joseph McShea (Deborah), Maureen McShea and Karen Bottinger (William), eight grandchildren, Jennifer Crumley (Scott), Shannon Bellew (Matthew), Robert Biddle, Jr. (Stacy), Evan McShea, Jaclyn Murphy (Timothy), Ryan Bottinger (Nicole), Shane McShea (Anastasia) and Brett Bottinger, sixteen great-grandchildren, Ava Staples, Ella Mae Staples, Jeffrey Staples, Jr., Matthew Bellew, Jr., Maeve Bellew, Maxwell Bellew, Gavin Biddle, Kendall Biddle, Christopher Biddle, Timothy Murphy, Jr., Mollie Murphy, Macie Murphy, Jameson Murphy, Elisabeth McShea, David McShea and Asher McShea, as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Family and friends are invited to Helene's viewing on Tuesday, September 5, 2023 beginning at 9:00 AM at Immaculate Heart of Mary Roman Catholic Church, 819 Cathedral Road, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A funeral mass will follow at 10:30 AM with interment immediately after mass in Calvary Cemetery, 199 Matsonford Road, West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.

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