Cecilia (Dowd) O’Shea, age 96, passed away on September 21, 2024 at the Life Care Center in Wilbraham. She was born on January 8, 1928 in the Hungry Hill section of Springfield to the late Timothy L Dowd and Nellie (Griffin) Dowd. Shortly after graduating from Cathedral High School, she started working for the New England Telephone Company and married her beloved husband, Eugene, before moving to Chicopee where they raised their 5 children. A lover of Irish traditions, she was often found filling the bellies of her loved ones with mutton pies and bread pudding, while making sure the kids wore their green, white and orange rosette’s before leaving the house on St. Patrick’s day. This love for her Irish heritage also brought her to Ireland several times to visit her cousins. Ceal later re-entered the workforce as the parish secretary for the former St Patrick’s Church in Chicopee, where she was also a communicant and active volunteer at the church. She dedicated her time to ice skating in Van Horn Park, helping raise the family’s beagles, vacationing on Cape Cod, and caring for her family. She is predeceased by her husband, Eugene P. O’Shea who passed away in 2014, her brother, Lawrence Dowd, and her daughter-in-law, Sally O’Shea. She is survived by her five children; Noreen O’Shea of Chicopee, Timothy O’Shea of Granby, Mary O’Brien and her husband Eugene of Westfield, Patrick O’Shea and his wife Laurie of Belchertown, Eugene O’Shea of Chicopee, her daughter-in-law Layla O’Shea, her eight grandchildren; Andrew, Daniel, Jackleen, Maggie, Conor, Michael, Shannon, Brianna, and five great grandchildren; Ethan, Laura, Josh, Quinn, and Eloise. Calling hours will be held on Friday, October 4 from 4:00 – 7:00 PM at the Grise Funeral Home at 280 Springfield St, Chicopee. A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, October 5 from 9:30 – 10:30 AM, with a Mass of Christian burial in St. Rose de Lima Church at 11:00 AM. A private burial will take place at a later date in St. Patrick’s Cemetery. For online condolences, please visit www.GriseFH.com. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Sisters of Saint Joseph at 577 Carew St, Springfield, MA 01104.