Rev. Dorcas Diaz-Shaner

Rev. Dorcas Diaz- Shaner

December 11, 1936 -July 20,2026

 Rev. Dorcas Diaz-Shaner was born and raised in New York City.  She left New York to attend Eastern Baptist College in St. Davids, PA (now Eastern University) where she studied Sociology and Psychology with a minor in Music.  Upon graduation from Eastern in 1958, she served as American Baptist Youth Discipleship Intern in CA.  She returned to Pennsylvania to attend Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary (now Palmer Theological Seminary), where she graduated with a Masters in Religious Education.  She also studied at various other institutions such as Oxford University and the Royal Academy of Music, in England, and Drew University in Madison, NJ.

Throughout her career, she was a professional musician, singing with and directing professional choirs, author of several books and numerous articles, and an educator in a variety of settings from high schools to seminaries.  As the senior pastor of numerous Baptist churches: First Baptist Church of Arlington, Kearney, NJ; First Baptist Church of Montclair, Montclair, NJ; North Hunterdon Baptist Church, North Hunterdon, NJ; and Demarest Baptist Church, Demarest, NJ, she was a pioneer in the women in ministry movement over the decades and blazed a trail for other women of faith to follow in her footsteps.  She was also very active serving on boards and committees in both the American Baptist Churches of New Jersey (ABCNJ), and the American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA).  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 throughout the years.

Dorcas was married to her beloved husband, the late Rev. Dr. Donald Wayne Shaner, for 62 years.  She is survived by her sister Diana Coggins and her husband Eugene Coggins, her son, Marc, and his wife Jeannette Kuroly, grandchildren David and Hannah Shaner, and many nieces and nephews. 

The family will receive relatives and friends on Saturday August 8, 2026 from 11am -12pm at the Emmanuel Baptist Church 14 Hope Street Ridgewood, NJ. 07450.  A Funeral Service is planned for 12noon at the church. Interment to follow at the Northern NJ Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Sparta, NJ. In Lieu of flowers donations in memory of Dorcas can be made to Campolo Center for Ministry