Woman Who Served As Pastor In Bergen, Hudson, And Essex Counties Dies

NORTH JERSEY — A woman who served as a pastor in Bergen, Hudson, and Essex county, and who also sang professionally, died on Wednesday at 89.

Rev. Dorcas Diaz-Shaner studied religion at various colleges in America and music at the Royal Academy of Music in England, her obituary notes.

She sang with and directed professional choirs, published books and articles, and taught at high schools and seminaries. She served as senior pastor in Baptist churches in Kearny, Montclair, North Hunterdon, and Demarest, her obituary says — "and blazed a trail for other women of faith to follow in her footsteps ... Being of Puerto Rican descent and fluent in Spanish and English, she also had a passion for, and worked in, a variety of Hispanic ministries."

The Baptist church only began ordaining female pastors in the 1900s, with some outspoken leaders still against the practice today.

Shaner's services will be held in Ridgewood next month. Read more of Shaner's obituary here.