Ed Shea, a retired publisher of Owner Operator and The Specialist magazines, passed away April 28 after a period of declining health. He was 91. 

Shea was an activist in the organized trucking industry, and was one of the founding members of The Maintenance Committee of the American Trucking Associations’ Regular Common Carrier Conference (now ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council).

He regularly participated in TMC meetings and helped establish its highest award, the Silver Spark Plug, and himself was a recipient. He also served for a time as the group’s historian. 

Shea served in the U.S. Army Engineers in World War II, and afterwards got into automotive and truck maintenance. He entered publishing by way of the Chilton Book Co., then transferred to CCJ where he was an executive editor.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Marion. Together they had four children, and leave numerous grand, great grand, and great-great grandchildren. Services are next Monday at St. Albert The Great Catholic Church in Huntington Valley, Pa.

About the author
Tom Berg

Tom Berg

Former Senior Contributing Editor

Journalist since 1965, truck writer and editor since 1978.

View Bio
0 Comments