James P. Shields, 70, activist in Kensington

When Philadelphia District Attorney Lynne M. Abraham heard of the Tuesday death of community activist James P. Shields, she wrote to a relative:

"Kensington has never been an easy place to transform, but there was no one better at it than Jim.

"He fought all of the obstacles and began to bring Kensington closer to its glory days almost more than any person I know.

"It was more than a pleasure to try to help him in any way that I could."

Mr. Shields, 70, who worked on revitalizing the Norris Square neighborhood, died of lung cancer at a sister's home in Horsham. He lived in Kensington.

Mr. Shields was the executive director of the Kensington organization United Neighbors Against Drugs, said Joseph Weiler, a nephew to whom Abraham wrote her message.

"For the last 20 years," Weiler said, Mr. Shields "ran numerous rental houses that he owned in lower Kensington."

And because of that, Weiler said, Mr. Shields became involved in improving the neighborhood.

Abraham did not stint on her praise.

"He was such a great leader for such a long time," Abraham wrote. "Believe me when I say it is so easy to lend a hand to one who is working so hard to make things better every single day of his life."

Tomasita Romero, who worked with Mr. Shields in the drug program, said that after it ceased operation about five years ago, Mr. Shields became active in its successor, the Cultural Center at Hancock and Norris Streets.

Mr. Shields was also involved with the Norris Square Neighborhood Project, which runs after-school programs. "He used to take care of all the problems," Romero said. "If something needed to be fixed, he was always there."

Mr. Shields grew up in the West Oak Lane neighborhood of Philadelphia and graduated from North Catholic High School in 1955.

A sister, Mary Grace Otto, said that before becoming involved in Kensington, Mr. Shields was an industrial engineer with the former Murata Wiedemann firm in King of Prussia.

Mr. Shields is survived by sons James and Patrick, a brother, four sisters, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

A Memorial Mass will be held at 11 a.m. tomorrow at Our Lady of Ransom Church, 6740 Roosevelt Blvd., with private burial in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Cheltenham.