Pete O'Shea

With family at his side Peter Starks O’Shea, Jr. was called home to heaven on December31, 2024, at the age of 81.

 Pete was born November 21, 1943, to parents Peter Starks O’Shea, Sr. and Alto Foard O’Shea while his father was serving as an Army Engineer Officer in World War II. Pete grewup in Charleston, Mississippi, graduating from East Tallahatchie High School in 1961. After earning a degree in accounting from Mississippi State University, Pete volunteered for the U.S. Army in October 1967 and spent the next six years on active duty. He earned his 2 nd Lieutenant commission through Artillery Officer Candidate School (OCS) at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, on November 5, 1968. On November 10, 1968, Pete married Peggy Jane Gunter from Marks, Mississippi. Immediately following their wedding, they drove from Mississippi to Fort Wolters, Texas, where Pete began Helicopter Pilot Training which later continued at Fort Rucker, Alabama. Pete transitioned into the CH-54A (Sikorsky Skycrane) and was assigned as a Platoon Leader in the 355 th Transportation Company in Vietnam where he flew 500 combat hours during his year’s tour. Following Vietnam, Pete moved with Peggy to Germany for 33 months where his assignments included Commander of Headquarters Battery, 7 th Corps Artillery. Upon leaving active duty in 1973, Pete and Peggy returned to Mississippi State University where Pete earned his MBA. While in graduate school, Pete joined the 2 nd Battalion, 114 th Field Artillery, Mississippi Army National Guard, in Starkville.

In May 1975 he began a 25-year career as Budget Director and later Special Projects Manager for Bryan Foods in West Point, Mississippi. Pete and Peggy joined First Baptist Church of West Point in 1976 where Pete continued to be a faithful member for the remainder of his life. In December 1983 Pete was promoted to Major and assigned as Commander, 2348 th Transportation Company (Heavy Helicopter CH-54A) in Meridian, Mississippi, for 34 months. Many of the CH-54A aircraft in this unit flew in Vietnam. Pete later resigned his commission to become a regular pilot in the newly designated Company G, 185 th Aviation unit in Meridian, Mississippi. He retired as Chief Warrant Officer 4 in November 2003 with 30 years of service in the Mississippi Army National Guard and 36 years overall military service. During his time in the military Pete was qualified in the UH-1A, B, C, D & H models Iroquois (Huey), OH-58A Kiowa, OH-6A Cayuse, CH-47D Chinook, and the CH-54A Skycrane aircraft and flew a total of 3,278 hours. In addition to serving his country, Pete also served his community. He was a member of the school board of Oak Hill Academy for six years. He served as Treasurer of the Board of Directors for the Bryan Employee Credit Union, later known as the New Horizons Federal Credit Union, for 35 years. He also served as a volunteer on the West Point Planning Commission for 23 years, including 13 years as chairman. Pete also spent countless hours laying track for a model train exhibit in development of the Sam Wilhite Transportation Museum in downtown West Point.

 As a member of First Baptist Church of West Point, Pete was honored to be a Deacon, Church Trustee, and Church Treasurer. But he mostly loved teaching 3-year-olds in Sunday School, greeting members and guests at the front steps of the church on Sunday mornings, or washing dishes in the church kitchen following a meal provided to a grieving family.

His two children, Amy and Patrick, fondly remember a dad who would do a backflip off the diving board, who would encourage them to do hard things, and who would circle the house in his National Guard helicopter on a Saturday afternoon until the windows rattled and they came outside to wave at him. Known as “Pops” to his grandchildren, Pete was an attentive and loving grandfather who encouraged his grandchildren to be adventurous, curious, and fearless. His grandchildren gave him much joy in the last two decades of his life. One of the highlights of his last year was meeting his newest granddaughter, Isabella. Pete enjoyed meeting new people and had a genuine interest in getting to know them. He wanted to know more than your name. He wanted to know your life story, and he was not shy about asking. He loved to read. Pete took a book or a newspaper with him wherever he went. One of his favorite activities was Luncheon with Books at the West Point Public Library. He never left a library book sale without a bag of books. He enjoyed reading about military leaders and battles and would spend hours with his magnifying glass and world atlas. Pete took pride in finding how to make any system easier, any service better, and any space more efficient. There was a right way to wind up a heavy extension cord or garden hose, and Pete was happy to give one a lesson on the way to do it. His family will miss the calm, consistent presence of a patriarch who was quick to laughter, slow to anger, and never rushed a conversation when they wanted to speak with him. He was dearly loved.

 Pete is survived by his beloved wife of 56 years, Peggy Jane Gunter O’Shea; his two children, Amy Elizabeth O’Shea Perkins (Bobby) of Clinton, Mississippi, and Patrick Foard O’Shea (Monica) of Houston, Texas; and his four grandchildren, Kathleen Elizabeth Perkins, Caroline Dawn Perkins, Austin Pate Perkins, and Isabella Anne O’Shea. He is also survived by his sisters, Sharon Frances O’Shea and Elizabeth Arlone O’Shea; his sister-in-law, Sylvia Dame Gunter; as well as nieces, nephews, and cousins. 

Pete was preceded in death by his parents, Peter Starks O’Shea, Sr. and Alto Foard O’Shea; his brother, Thomas Foard O’Shea; his in-laws, Charles Pate Gunter and Elizabeth Rice Pressgrove Gunter; and his brother-in-law, John Richmond Gunter.

 Funeral services will be 2:30 PM Sunday January 5, 2025 at First Baptist Church. A private burial will take place in First Marks Cemetery in Marks, MS. Pallbearers will be Matt Connell, John Freeman, Gregg Kaiser, Patrick O’Shea, Bobby Perkins, Pate Perkins, Stephen Sowell, and Stanley Spradling. Honorary pallbearers will be Doug Adams, Gary Albright, Danny Bailey, Bobby Brannon, Glen Brown, Paul Cuicchi, Dwight Dyess, Bob Farrar, Bob Ferguson, Ken Harrelson, Tom Hixon, Kris Hollis, Frank Howell, Jim Kisner, Charles Magers, Robbie Robinson, Mike Simmons, Steve Tribble, Marvin Turnipseed and Charles Wyatt.

 In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to First Baptist Church of West Point, P.O. Box 794, West Point, Mississippi 39773.