Francis Xavier Sheehan, Jr.

Francis Xavier Sheehan Jr. passed away at his home in Laurel, Maryland, on Saturday, July 3, 2021 at the age of 68 following a long illness.

Frank was born in Oakland, California to Francis Xavier and Catherine Pauline (McCarthy) Sheehan on February 19, 1953, and grew up in Garden Grove, California. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Russian Language from UC Irvine in Irvine, California, and a Master of Arts degree in Slavic Languages and Linguistics from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.

Frank moved to Laurel in 1980 and worked as an analyst and linguist for the federal government for over 38 years until his retirement in January 2019. He was a member of St. Mary of the Mills Catholic Church in Laurel, Maryland.

Preceded in death by his father, Frank is survived by his wife Alison Hope Sheehan and sons Michael Francis Sheehan and Jeremy Joseph Sheehan, all of Laurel Maryland. He is also survived by his mother Catherine Sheehan of Garden Grove, California; sisters Kathryn Anne Sheehan of Fresno, California, Patricia Marie Sheehan of Santa Monica, California, and Carol Anne Estes of Fullerton, California; brother John Mitchell Sheehan of Samaria, Michigan; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Frank enjoyed and had a particular talent for foreign languages. He spoke Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Finnish, Estonian, and Irish Gaelic. In addition he had knowledge of languages around the globe. He was widely read, enjoying American and world history, church history, politics, and fiction, and was an excellent cook.

A Memorial Mass will be held at St. Mary of the Mills Catholic Church, 114 St. Mary's Place, Laurel, Maryland, on Wednesday, July 7 at 11:00am.  To view a Live Stream of the Mass click HERE . Interment will be in California near his father.