Jimmy John Shea was born on November 4, 1956 in Clay Center, Kansas, and raised in Salina, the oldest of five siblings. He is survived by his sisters Sara Rogers (Clarendon, Arkansas), Laurie Ross (Tulsa, Oklahoma), Beckie Shea (Sand Springs, Oklahoma), brothers Dave Shea (Tulsa, Oklahoma), and Scott Shea (Valdosta, Georgia); as well as Melissa Stansberry, the mother of his son Frankie, and step-sons and daughter Kavi, Olea and Galen Treesong. He is predeceased by his birth mother, Mary Smith of Arkansas, and parents Dean Shea and Sue Woodring of Tulsa, and by his only child, Franklyn Stansberry-Shea.

In his early years, Jimmy was a track and cross- country star and academic genius in high school, graduating in 1975 from Salina High School South. He earned the prestigious USSYP award (United States Senate Youth Program), and a scholarship to West Point Military School, which he turned down, and instead, chose to hitchhike to California and live in the mountains. There, he took the name “Winter Breeze” and family and friends thereafter knew him as Breeze.

In California he spent several years planting trees in the Sierra Foothills, where he made new friends and met the people who would become his land partners in Weitchpec. In between planting trees, he would take pick and shovel to little known crystal mines in eastern California and Nevada, returning with collections of exquisite quartz crystals which he surrounded himself with for the rest of his life. 

In 1993, at the age of 37, Breeze became a father to Franklyn Allessandro Stansberry-Shea, and he and Melissa Stansberry and their boy lived together for a time in the tipi Jimmy had made, on the side of the mountain. Though mother and child moved to Carlotta, he and Melissa continued to share the bond of parenthood forever, deeper following the untimely passing of their child in 2018. Jimmy spent the last 36 years of his life on his homestead, right above the confluence of the Klamath and Trinity rivers, maintaining a beautiful home surrounded by abundant gardens and orchards. He had lots of friends and acquaintances weaving in and out of the story of his earthly life.  

He was always a hardworking man, if not on his homestead, then assorted jobs on local farms and forests, wielding a hoe, chain saw, or weed whacker depending on the job.  He loved working the soil, raising animals, and sharing the bounty of his gardens both fresh and preserved.  He often contributed food to Hoopa Tribal Elders. In the early days he also volunteered at KIDE Radio in Hoopa. Breeze was a gentle and generous soul.

Liberated from the trappings and sufferings of mortal flesh, no longer tortured by pain and grief, Breeze was ready. With his recently recognized acceptance of his Lord, he was ready and he said so repeatedly since the untimely passing of his only child Frankie Stansberry-Shea.  In recent years he often said “My faith is strong in my Lord.  I am both a Christian and a Pagan.”

Breeze joined his son in spirit mere days before the 6th anniversary of his son’s transition to Spirit; his “Angelversary.”

Rest peacefully in God’s garden, Breeze, with Frankie and all your elders.  We’ll be seeing ya on the Other Side.