Michael Shields

Michael Francis Shields (Mike)
March 28, 1944 to January 21, 2016
Born in Frostburg Maryland while his Dad was overseas in France and Germany during World War II and his Mom was a teacher, who began her career in a one room schoolhouse teaching Amish children.
Mike grew up in a row house in Baltimore Maryland and attended Catholic School, including Mount Saint Joseph High School. He would often do his Algebra homework in front of the television while watching old Laurel and Hardy movies. His parents instilled strong Catholic beliefs and valued education. Mike loved his second hand bicycle and his second hand Chuck Taylor sneakers while playing in the Baltimore neighborhood. As his Mom’s proclaimed “Little Man”, he would ride the trolley car with her to buy groceries at Lexington Market. Mike’s Dad eventually became Chief Game Warden for Maryland and then Director. Mike would travel as a boy with his Dad across the State. He became an avid hunter and enjoyed fishing. He spent many summers with friends on the Eastern Shore catching and cooking Maryland seafood with fresh Maryland summer fruits and vegetables.
He was awarded a scholarship to the University of Maryland and after a brief year, was accepted into the Naval Academy. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps in 1967, was married and deployed to Vietnam. He served as a young Marine Artillery Officer and was awarded the Bronze Star. He returned from Vietnam, obtained his Masters Degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Michigan and later settled in Annapolis. He taught at the Naval Academy, did two tours in Japan, served as the Commander of the Computer Science School and Data Center at Quantico and retired in 1988 as a Lieutenant Colonel.
He then began work as a Department of Defense contractor, and moved to Pasadena in 1990. He remarried in 1996, and served at the National Security Agency for almost 20 years.  He was considered an expert in Mass Storage systems and would travel the country helping others establish their data centers. He retired from there as a Defense Intelligence Senior Leader. He had a special fondness for Tennessee, coming home twice from business with restored cars that he had bought – a 1956 Chevy and his beloved 1968 GTO.
Mike only accepted two movie stars: John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. All others did not score. He would occasionally enjoy some Mel Brooks movies but that was it. He loved Motown, especially the Supremes, Ray Charles, Johnny Cash and the Eagles. He also grew up with the Baltimore Colts, with role models like Johnny Unitas and Lenny Moore. He loved watching professional football and was lately a Patriots fan to the chagrin of his wife, a Ravens fan. He has followed and supported the Baltimore Orioles for over 60 years. He earned an international scuba divers license while stationed in Japan. He was an expert shot, collected coins, baseball cards, trains, beer cans, guns and duck decoys.
You could almost always find him with a cigar in his mouth and a COORs Light in his hand.  Lately he could be found at the dining-room table with a jigsaw puzzle, collecting more than 600 of them, making the big retirement decision as to where to go out to lunch. He also enjoyed his email network of friends and the passing of jokes as one of the network hubs.
Mike is survived by his wife Susan, his two daughters; Bridgitte (Jason) and Heather (David); his son George (Colleen); his step daughters Jennifer (Joshua) and Lisa (Roger), his sister Jackie (Enrico) and twelve grand-children.

Relatives and friends are invited to gather at the family owned and operated MCCULLY-POLYNIAK FUNERAL HOME,P.A. 3204 Mountain Road PASADENA on Friday, January 29, 2016 from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 PM. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated in St. Mary's Parish 109 Duke of Gloucester Street Annapolis Maryland 21401 on Saturday, January 30, 2016 at 11 AM. Interment Lakemont Memorial Gardens.