Father John O'Shea Photo by Michael Alexander

ATLANTA--Father John J. O'Shea, former pastor of St. John the Evangelist Church, Hapeville, and St. Bernadette Church, Cedartown, died Feb. 14 at the Fountainview Center for Alzheimer's Disease in Decatur. He was 89.

Father O'Shea, a native of Augusta, was ordained to the priesthood June 7, 1941 by Bishop Gerald O'Hara at the Cathedral of Christ the King, Atlanta.

He served as a parochial vicar at several churches in Savannah and Atlanta, including Blessed Sacrament Church, Savannah, St. Joseph's Church, Athens, and St. Anthony's Church in Atlanta. In 1945, Father O'Shea was named pastor of St. Augustine's Church in Thomasville, where he served until 1953.

From 1953 until 1956, Father O'Shea served as pastor of St. John the Evangelist Church in Valdosta. During this time, beginning in 1956, he served as chaplain for the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary. He remained as chaplain until 1960, when he was assigned as pastor of St. John the Evangelist Church, Hapeville, where he served for 12 years.

Father O'Shea also served as the dean of the South Deanery from 1962-1972.

He was the pastor of St. Bernadette Church, Cedartown, from 1972-1973, and served as a parochial vicar at the Cathedral of Christ the King from 1973 until his retirement in 1976.

A wake service for Father O'Shea was to be held Feb. 18 at 5:30 p.m. at the Cathedral of Christ the King with Evening Prayer for the Dead followed by a reception at the Cathedral rectory.

The Mass of Christian Burial was to be celebrated Feb. 19 at 10 a.m. at the Cathedral of Christ the King. Msgr. Tom Kenny, rector of the Cathedral, was to be the principal celebrant. Father Richard Morrow, vicar for clergy in residence at the Cathedral, was to be the homilist. Following the Prayer After Communion Archbishop John F. Donoghue will speak and lead the Final Commendation and Farewell. Interment was to be at Arlington Memorial Cemetery in Atlanta.