Three O’Shea Funds Benefit Marion
St. Patrick’s Day was an occasion for celebration in the O’Shea house, where guests, Irish or not, were known to belt out Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral and head home stuffed with Irish stew. This, from an otherwise serious banker and his school teacher wife
“My grandparents emigrated from Ireland and with a name like ‘O’Shea,’ our Irish heritage was a proud part of our lives,” said Molly Davis, daughter of the late John and Kathy O’Shea. Supporting their community was also, she said, part of her parents’ lives.
St. Patrick’s Day was an occasion for celebration in the O’Shea house, where guests, Irish or not, were known to belt out Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral and head home stuffed with Irish stew. This, from an otherwise serious banker and his school teacher wife
“My grandparents emigrated from Ireland and with a name like ‘O’Shea,’ our Irish heritage was a proud part of our lives,” said Molly Davis, daughter of the late John and Kathy O’Shea. Supporting their community was also, she said, part of her parents’ lives.
“My parents sacrificed to set up a trust to put us through college; but, also, because they wanted their lives to mean something beyond their deaths. They told us in our teen years of the legacy they were establishing,” she said. Davis is one of four daughters, who also include Katie, Erin, and Bridget.
The O’Shea’s little-known legacy for Marion was established in the spirit of Saint Patrick, “Sufficient for me is that honor which is not seen of men but is felt in the heart.”
Kathy passed in 2012 after a 16-year battle with kidney cancer. John preserved her memory by creating the Kathleen E. O’Shea Fund at Marion Community Foundation, which annually awards grants in support of live theater and dance performances in Marion. And, starting this year, will annually sponsor summer musicals at the Palace Theatre and area high and middle schools.
“My parents loved performances at the Palace and wanted to see that continue,” said Davis. “My mom grew up in a family that struggled to make ends meet. Dance and art were not in the budget. She wanted others to experience the magic of dance and the escape of live performance.”
Kathy’s family moved to Marion early in her life when her father took a job with the Erie Railroad. She grew up on Homer Street, attended St. Mary School and Marion Catholic, and earned degrees from Ohio Dominican and Ohio State universities. She was a special education teacher and choreographed high school show choirs and musicals. In retirement, she taught dance, directed plays, played tennis, and channeled her passion for teaching into tutoring English as a second language.
“At home, I would watch her with a model of the stage and the dancers, planning their moves; then, at practice, I would watch Mom show her students all the moves she created for them. She was truly in her happy place,” said Davis. “In the months before her death, I brought my children to watch her teach a clogging class so they could have a taste of their grandmother in all her glory.”
In 2017, when John passed, a substantial gift from their combined trusts increased Kathy’s fund and created two more—a scholarship and an unrestricted fund—bringing the combined fund values to $625,000 and ensuring that the O’Shea legacy in Marion will not be forgotten.
“It’s difficult to put into words the impact of such generosity,” said Dean Jacob, Foundation President and CEO. “The Marion community will benefit from their gift for generations to come.”
The O’Shea Scholarship Fund supports Catholic education at Xavier and Ohio Dominican universities and the unrestricted fund will address community needs in Marion.
John worked for Bank One for more than 30 years, rising to the role of bank president in the corporation’s Coshocton, Portsmouth, Cincinnati, and Marion offices.
“He valued hard work and thriftiness,” Davis said. “Everyone knew Dad was someone to turn to when you needed financial advice. His yellow pad was always close by.”
Molly described her father’s passions as faith and family, with a lifelong love of tennis, his banking career, his time in the National Guard, and the 10 years he volunteered preparing taxes at AARP.
“And,” she said, “he always loved a good joke.”
As fully endowed funds at Marion Community Foundation, the three O’Shea funds will, according to Jacob, last forever and make annual awards to support local students, theater, and causes the couple valued.
Marion Community Foundation was created in 1998 and now is steward to 375+ charitable funds like the O’Shea funds. It’s offices are inside the historic Stengel-True Museum at 504 S. State St. and are open weekdays 9a-5p. More information is available by calling 740-387-9704.
