William Andrew Shea of Rye, N.Y. passed away suddenly on May 20, 2020. Mimi, his beloved wife of 26 years, his daughters, Haley and Alexa, and his son, Teddy were by his side. He was 54.
Born in Manhasset, N.Y., he attended Buckley Country Day and Pomfret School.
He had a lifelong passion for sailing and sailed competitively for his alma mater, Georgetown University, where he earned his B.A. and J.D. Until recently, he was president of Friends of Georgetown Sailing for three years. He instilled this love for sailing in all three of his children who are talented sailors in their own right. He and his wife ran the esteemed JAYC sailing program for several years at American Yacht Club.
An accomplished athlete, Mr. Shea loved sharing his passion for hockey, lacrosse, and baseball with his own children, along with the hundreds of children he coached on the Rye Rangers and Rye Little League. Thanks to his coaching, Haley and Alexa became outstanding high school hockey players, and Teddy developed a “wicked” breaking ball.
His love of sports and his passion for the New York Mets in particular was insatiable, a seed planted by his paternal grandfather whose efforts brought National League baseball back to New York and culminated in the NY Mets and Shea Stadium. His dimpled smile was never bigger than when he was with his family at a Mets game.
His drive and determination were underpinned by a tremendous intellect and curiosity. In 2015, he co-founded and built Hilltop Private Capital from the ground up, investing in it the same work ethic that made him successful in all his previous endeavors.
Nobody made being happy look easier than Drew, as he was known. He had a twinkle in his eye, a passion in his hugs, and a deep belly laugh, interspersed with giggles, when either listening to or telling a story. These qualities were his hallmark and created a legacy of deep and enduring friendships; if you knew Drew Shea, you were his friend. “Drew embodied the motto, a man for others,” said his family.
You always felt better about yourself and about what tomorrow would bring when you were with Drew. Drew was “one of the great ones.” Drew’s warmth of heart and personality were his gift to all.
In addition to his wife and children to whom he was devoted, Drew Shea is survived by his parents, Valery Moore of Rye and Bill Shea of New York City; and his brother, Scott and his son Hatcher of Pasadena, Calif. He was very close to the Smith, Field, Dinger, and Kahle families of Rye, and the Pappas family of Winston-Salem, N.C.
A celebration of life will be held in the future.
Donations in his memory may be made to Friends of Georgetown Sailing (http://wearegeorgetown.com/giving) or Gladney Center for Adoption (www.iamgladney.org).