SOUTH PORTLAND — Maureen G. Shea, 49, passed away on Thursday July 12, 2012 at the Gosnell House in Scarborough.

Maureen was born on Nov. 11, 1962 in Manchester, N.H. She was the third child of eight and the first daughter born to William and Mary Reilly. She attended St. Joseph’s School through her childhood and was a graduate of Deering High School.

On March 5, 1981, Maureen gave birth to her first-born daughter. Maureen loved her children, Jessica, Timothy and Marion, deeply, cherished them and was very proud of them. She would often say how blessed she was to have such beautiful children.

On Sept. 7, 1985, she married her beloved husband, Michael Shea, at Holy Cross Church in South Portland. Having the wedding of her dreams, she often said that it was the happiest day of her life, which made her mother and father very happy.

She was devoted to her family and enjoyed having family gatherings at her home in South Portland especially during the holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. Maureen was a very warm, kind and caring person, who always put the needs of others above her own, often times running out the door to help a friend or loved one.

Maureen was also proud to be a member of the Women’s Auxiliary at the Portland VFW. She enjoyed spending time with her siblings, whom she loved all dearly. Maureen was a devote Catholic with a strong spiritual belief in God, often times having in-depth conversations with her husband, children and Reverend Ken.

Maureen was a successful entrepreneur creating R & R Cleaning, a domestic cleaning business. She loved to read and was an excellent writer. She was a fantastic cook, making superb dishes such as lasagna and chicken and potato salads. She also made an English toffee that everyone looked forward to during the Christmas season. She always said an important ingredient was love.

Maureen loved working in her garden and sitting outside admiring her hard work. She had an incredible green thumb. She loved to play Skip-bo, a tradition that began with her mother and father and continued on with her children and others. She was a loyal follower of the soap opera, “Days of Our Lives,” which would drive her husband Michael crazy.

She is survived by her husband of 28 years, Michael; daughters Jessica Lynch and Marion Shea; son Timothy Shea; brothers, Bill Reilly of Portland, Tom Reilly of Bangor, Kevin Reilly of Fryeburg, Peter Reilly of Portland, David Reilly of Portland and Mark Reilly of Portland; her sister, Kathy Reilly of Portland; along with many nieces and nephews.

Visiting hours were held Tuesday, July 17 at Hobbs Funeral Home, 230 Cottage Road, South Portland. A Mass of Christian Burial was held Wednesday, July 18 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 673 Stevens Avenue, Portland with burial following at Evergreen Cemetery, Portland.

In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution to: The Maine Cancer Foundation, 170 US Route 1, Suite 250, Falmouth, ME 04105.