Frances T. Shea Buckley's Obituary
Rear Admiral (RADM) Frances Shea Buckley, Nurse Corps, United States Navy, was born in Chicopee, Massachusetts February 26, 1929 to John Edward Shea and Katherine Teresa Warburton Shea. She passed away on July 8, 2015. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from Saint Joseph College, West Hartford, Connecticut in 1950. Later academic accomplishments included post-graduate work in Operating Room Management at the University of Chicago and a Master of Science Degree in Nursing Service Administration from DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois, in 1960. She was a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing and Phi Kappa Phi.In July 1951, during the Korean War, Frances Shea was commissioned an Ensign in the Navy Nurse Corps and assigned to the Naval Hospital at Portsmouth, Virginia. She was released from active duty in July 1954 and remained active in the reserves while attending graduate school. She returned to active duty from 1960-1983. Her numerous assignments throughout her career included: Portsmouth, Virginia; St. Albans, New York; Rota, Spain; Chelsea, Massachusetts and recruiting duty in Richmond, Virginia. During the Vietnam War, then Commander Shea served as Operating Room supervisor on the USS Repose (AH-16) where thousands of casualties were cared for during the ship’s mission off the coast of Vietnam’s northern station. Prior to her selection to flag rank, she served as Director of Nursing at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland and Naval Medical Center, San Diego, CA. In 1979, she was selected to be the Director of the Navy Nurse Corps with the rank of Rear Admiral and assigned to the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) in Washington, D.C. She served concurrently as the Deputy Commander for Medical Department Personnel, Commanding Officer, Naval Health Science Education Training Command as well as the Director of the Navy Nurse Corps. She was the first Navy Nurse Corps Officer and second woman to be promoted to the two star flag officer rank. She retired from the Navy on October 1, 1983.During her tenure at BUMED, RADM Shea Buckley led initiatives that placed nurses in graduate programs at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California and Baylor University, focusing their education on computer and administrative skills and ability to better contribute to healthcare policy arenas. She was the champion behind assigning certified nurse anesthetists to air craft carriers and gaining Nurse Corps billets with Marine Corps units. One of her greatest legacies was the transition of Navy Nurses out of the traditional white uniform and cap into the Navy ‘s uniform of the day. This identified them not only as nurses, but as Naval officers, keeping them on par with fellow line and staff personnel.A champion for fostering nursing collaboration, collegiality and professional growth, RADM Shea Buckley enthusiastically supported the annual Arentzen Nursing Symposium. In 1984, the symposium was renamed to recognize Rear Admiral Shea Buckley’s immeasurable contributions to its success along with VADM Willard P. Arentzen, former Surgeon General of the United States Navy. The Shea-Arentzen Nursing Symposium became a favored continuing education forum for military, civil service, and civilian nurses throughout the United States and from many overseas military facilities.RADM Shea Buckley is the recipient of the Legion of Merit Award, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, National Defense Service Medal w/star, Vietnam Campaign Medal w/4 stars; Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam (RVN) Campaign Medal w/device, RVN Service Medal, RVN Gallantry Cross Unit Citation and RVN Civil Action Unit Citation.Upon retirement, she married Captain Emanuel Navarro Buckley, Medical Service Corps, U.S. Navy and they returned to San Diego. Captain Buckley predeceased her in July 2000. RADM Shea Buckley served on the national Board of Directors of The Retired Officers Association (TROA), now Military Officer’s Association of America (MOAA); and the local Board of Directors of the Miramar Chapter of TROA. She was a member of the Veterans Medical Research Foundation, Veterans Administration Medical Center, San Diego and Chairman of the Women’s Advisory Committee for Veteran Affairs, Washington, D.C. She served as a faculty member for U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Nursing, Brooks Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. As a member of the Honorary Council, Vietnam Women’s Memorial, she was instrumental as a jurist for the selection of the memorial design. A tireless advocate for education, research and readiness, she served on the Secretary of the Navy’s Medical Research Committee, Washington, D.C. and as a consultant for Emergency Medical Logistics for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Washington, D.C. In 2004, RADM Shea Buckley received the Navy Nurse Corps Association Meritorious Recognition Award.She believed her greatest accomplishment was having been a Navy Nurse. Her survivors include her brother, Donald Shea, (wife Dorothy) of South Carolina, nieces Catherine Shea, (husband Dr. Greg Petrie) of North Carolina, Cindy Desroches, (husband Wayne) of Massachusetts, Chrys Machado, (husband Carlos) of New Jersey and nephew John Shea, (wife Caryn) of Massachusetts.A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be held on July 25th at 10:00 AM at Holy Angels Byzantine Catholic Church where she was a long time parishioner. A reception will follow the service at the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar golf course pavilion. RADM Buckley will be buried with her husband at Arlington National Cemetery at a future date.In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Holy Angels Byzantine Catholic Church 2235 Galahad Road San Diego, CA 92123 or to a charity of one’s choice.
What’s your fondest memory of Frances?
What’s a lesson you learned from Frances?
Share a story where Frances' kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Frances you’ll never forget.
How did Frances make you smile?