Mercy Sister Diane Szubrowski, former president of the New Jersey Regional Community of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas died July 7 in McAuley Hall Health Care Center, Watchung, following a brief illness. She was 83.
Funeral services will be held July 16 in Mount St. Mary, 1645 Highway 22, Watchung, N.J. 07060. A wake will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. with a Welcome Home at 9:30. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11. Burial will be at a later date.
The only child of Joseph and Helen Szubrowski, Sister Diane was a native of Trenton. She graduated from Cathedral High school, Trenton, in 1955, and then entered the Sisters of Mercy. She spent her early years teaching in St. Francis of Assisi School, Metuchen; St. Mary School, South Amboy, and St. Elizabeth School, Bernardsville. She returned to St. Francis of Assisi School to serve as principal before her appointment as personnel director for the Sisters of Mercy. In 1978, she was elected councilor for the Sisters of Mercy of New Jersey, serving for eight years as an advocate for peace and justice. As founder and director of Mercy Peace Center, Watchung, she lectured, traveled and hosted events to bring the message of peace to others. Recognized for her leadership skills and compassionate care for the sisters, she was elected president of the New Jersey Regional Community of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, in 1994 and remained in that position for 13 years.
Sister Diane earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Georgian Court College (now University), Lakewood, and master’s degrees in education and social work form Rutgers University. She served as a family therapist for Catholic Charities in the Metuchen Diocese from 1998 to 1994.
In 2005, on the occasion of her golden jubilee in the Sisters of Mercy, she was recognized for the more than 30 years she was involved with helping persons with drug and alcohol related issues. In 2007, she was honored during the Catholic Charities Flame of Charity Dinner in which she was honored for her years of dedication and living out the Mercy core values of service, compassion, justice, respect and integrity. In 2008, she began a new phase of ministry at Georgian Court University, serving on the administrative staff in the Office for Institutional Advancement and later as a volunteer for donor relations, serving in that capacity until 2019.
Sister Diane is survived by cousins and members of the Sisters of Mercy.
Memorial donations may be made to Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, 1645 U.S. Highway 22, West, Watchung, N.J. 07069.