Truckin' on the Western Branch

Smith said, He met Joyce, a girl from New York, when he was at West Point. They married on his graduation day at the Academy in 1952. Before he left for Korea, he came home on leave and asked me to go to Smith Brothers gas station on Western Branch Boulevard where Raymond Smith (an old friend but no relation) and I could witness his last will and testament.

Shea is buried in Olive Branch Cemetery with his two brothers, Robert Bernard Shea, 2/11/30– 4/15/73, pilot, and William George Shea Sr., F2 US Navy WWII, 4/21/28–9/28/88.

In 1958 the U.S. Military Academy dedicated its stadium as Shea Stadium. In 2008 Churchland High School dedicated a commemorative display honoring Shea. A year later Caleb Polston of Portsmouth created The Richard T. Shea Memorial Garden in Pughsville, across from the VFW post, as an Eagle Scout project. On the memorial information board Polston wrote, “My hope is that as you walk through this small memorial, you will take the time to remember those men and women who fought for us and for America and its Freedom.” That ten Virginia Sports Hall of Famers have local ties?

In addition to Richard Shea, nine other local sports personalities have been inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Jean McLean Davis — Equestrian and horse breeder. She won more than 65 World Grand Championships and claimed 845 championships for her stable. Her home and stable were in Churchland for a number of years. Chandler Harper—Golfer. After turning pro at the age of 20 in 1934, he won seven championships on the pro golf tour, including the 1950 National PGA Championship, and finished second in 13 others. He was a member of the Ryder

Jean McLean Davis

Cup team in 1955. Chandler also won National PGA Seniors and the World Seniors titles and was inducted into the PGA Hall of Fame in 1969. A Churchland resident later in life, Harper was the head pro at the Glensheallah course for 17 years and helped build Elizabeth Manor and Bide-A Wee golf courses. A few years later Bob Stanton, of Stanton Partners real estate and development firm, was at Sleepy Hole Golf Course when the pro asked if a retired pro golfer might join him for a round. The retired pro was Chandler Harper who remembered that Stanton had been his newspaper boy years earlier in Green Acres.

Chandler Harper. Image by Sheally.

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