Sister Mary Ann Shambo, educator
Sister Mary Ann Shambo, 78, a Franciscan nun who worked for 30 years in South Jersey, died of renal failure on Thursday, April 19, at Assisi House, her religious order's retirement home in Aston, Delaware County.
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Sister Mary Ann Shambo, 78, a Franciscan nun who worked for 30 years in South Jersey, died of renal failure on Thursday, April 19, at Assisi House, her religious order's retirement home in Aston, Delaware County.
Sister Shambo also taught at the former St. Elizabeth School at 18th and Croskey Streets in Philadelphia from 1956 to 1962 and ministered at the former St. Agnes Medical Center in South Philadelphia in 1994 and 1995.
Born in Stiles, Lehigh County, Sister Shambo graduated from Central High School in Allentown and after a year of college entered the Franciscan Order in 1953.
She earned a bachelor's degree in secondary education at Villanova in 1967 and a master's in spirituality and theology.
A spokeswoman for her religious order said in a phone interview that Sister Shambo taught at Sacred Heart School in Allentown from 1962 to 1972 and at St. Francis of Assisi School there in 1972-73.
With her friend Sister Barbara Beck, she founded an adult spirituality and evangelization program that offered course work in theology, religious retreats, and pastoral counseling.
She worked with that program in St. Rose of Lima parish in Haddon Heights from 1975 to 1978, Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish in Berlin from 1978 to 1979, St. Edward's parish in Pine Hill in 1979-80, and SS. Peter and Paul parish in Turnersville in 1980-81.
She served several parishes in South Jersey until 1989, when she became provincial - chief officer - of a portion of her religious order, mostly in New Jersey and New England, until 1993.
Sister Shambo worked in social services and health-care administration at the Cape May Care Center from 1995 to 1997 and at Crest Haven, both nursing homes and both in Cape May Courthouse, from 1997 to 2001.
Sister Shambo is survived by a brother, Richard Shambo; and by nieces and a nephew.
A wake was set for 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 24, at Assisi House, 600 Red Hill Rd., Aston, followed by a viewing and an 11 a.m. Funeral Mass there, with burial in Our Lady of Angels Cemetery, Aston.