John P. Shanley Jr.

Shanley died in his home in South Kingstown, Rhode Island on August 3, 2021.

Shanley chose not to run for a fifth term in 2008 and was succeeded by Commodore Michael Rice.

Shanley served as a Deputy Majority Leader from 2007 to 2009.

Shanley was first elected to represent the Rhode Island General Assembly's 49th House district in the 2000 election, however following the Rhode Island General Assembly's 2002 redistricting, he was redistricted to the 35th House district, where he served three more terms.

Shanley worked for the Rhode Island Department of Corrections for 25 years starting from 1968 as a probation and parole officer for juvenile delinquents. After retirement from the Department of Corrections, Shanley served as an associate professor at the Roger Williams University School of Justice Studies from 1995 to 1999 and served as a grant writer for Justice Assistance Corporation from 1999 to 2001.

John Patrick Shanley Jr. (May 31, 1944 – August 3, 2021) was an American politician who served as a Democratic member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives from South Kingstown from 2001 to 2009, representing the Rhode Island General Assembly's 49th House district for his first term and the Rhode Island General Assembly's 35th House district for three more terms, following the Rhode Island General Assembly's 2002 redistricting.

Shanley was born on May 31, 1944, to Esther Joyce Shanley and John Patrick Shanley in Providence, Rhode Island. Shanley attended and graduated from Bishop Hendricken High School in 1962. He received a bachelor's degree in political science from Providence College in 1966. Shanley then joined the United States Army during the Vietnam War, and served until 1968, where he then obtained a master's degree in Sociology from the University of Rhode Island.