William Edward Shields, Sr.'s Obituary
William Edward Shields, Sr.
Of Jacksonville, FL, entered eternal life on June 9, 2026, peacefully at home, surrounded by loved ones. William, known to most as Bill was husband to Susan Shields (Fearn); father to Bill, Jr. (Robin), Brian (Cristi), David (Ginger), and Daniel (Christina); grandfather (known as Papa) to Josh, Cody, Skyler (Lindsay), Christopher, Rosa, Caleb, Eliana, Jacob, Gabriel, Kolbe, Javier, Henry, Haley (Luke), Ciara, David, Ethan, Jemma, Liam, and Leah, and great-grandfather to Ella; brother to Maureen and the late Joseph, Jr. and Michael.
Bill was born on April 2, 1947, to Joseph and Mildred Shields and grew up in Philadelphia, PA. He attended Sacred Heart College in Cullman, AL, where he met Susan, his eternal true love, and they were married on May 13, 1969. Eventually, they moved to Jacksonville, FL, where they raised their family. Bill worked as an accountant and entrepreneur for many businesses over his lifetime.
Bill and Susan were longtime parishioners of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. Together, they were key to creating the Diocesan Marriage Renewal and helped enrich hundreds of marriages by hosting Catholic marriage retreats for 38 years. Side by side, they also helped other marriages beyond those of those who attended the retreats, simply by witnessing their deep love for each other. One rarely saw Bill without Susan by his side for the 52 years they were married - they were truly inseparable.
Most important to Bill were God, Susan, and their family, and in that order. He put Christ at the center through prayer and by living according to His ways. He knew this was necessary to be the best husband to Susan. After Susan’s sudden passing in 2021, Bill was diagnosed with a neurological condition, leaving him not only broken-hearted but also quickly losing his independence and mobility.
Bill will be missed by his sons and daughters-in-law, grandchildren, and all of his family and friends! We pray that his devotion to Christ, to his spouse, and to the sacrament of marriage will continue to inspire other married couples to put God at the center of their marriage and then live their days for their spouse. Bill was a father figure to many beyond his immediate family and a living example many aspire to be . Bill’s example and legacy will live on and continue to inspire for many years and generations to come.
On Friday, June 12, there will be a vigil at 1:00 pm and the funeral Mass at 2:00 pm at St. Joseph's Catholic Church (main church). Bill will be buried alongside Susan at a later date in a private service at his family’s farm.
In lieu of flowers, please have Masses said for Bill Shields. You can call any parish and ask for a Mass said for him or go to the following link and get a Mass said.
https://www.thedivinemercy.org/mass/
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