Sister Sharon Anne Yanak, (formerly Marlene Frances Yanak), died on Wednesday, October 12, 2022 in Richfield, Ohio at Mount Augustine/Regina Health Center. She was born on November 8, 1935 in Parma, Ohio to Andrew and Ann Yanak. One of five children, she was baptized on November 24, 1935 at St. Francis de Sales Church in Parma. On September 8, 1955 she entered the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine. She pronounced final vows on August 22, 1963.
Sister Sharon Anne received a Bachelor of Science in Education from Saint John College. In her early years, she was an elementary school teacher with assignments at St. Luke School (Lakewood), Assumption School (Brook Park), Holy Family School (Stow), and St. Joseph School (Cuyahoga Falls), where she was also assistant principal. In addition, Sister was principal at St. Luke School for seven years.
In 1981, she was elected to the leadership team of the Sisters of Charity, where she served as Councilor for Personal Development and also served as Head Coordinator of Mount Augustine. She was Pastoral Minister and principal of the PSR Program at Holy Family Parish from August 1, 1985 until the school closed in June, 1988. During this time, Sister Sharon Anne also served as member of the Board of Trustees on CSA Health and Human Services and the Saint Ann Foundation. After her sabbatical in 1995, she was the hospital representative in the emergency department of Mercy Medical Center in Canton, Ohio.
In 1997, she was assigned to Regina Health Center as Activities Assistant. Sister also volunteered at The Open House (Cleveland), Providence House (Cleveland), Regina Health Center in Pastoral Care and as the Mount Augustine Assistant Local Leader.
In 2021, Sister Sharon Anne’s life story was a presentation given to the residents of Regina Health Center. When asked what her three wishes would be, “her first was to experience more peace in the world, secondly she wants us to take better care of Mother Earth and, thirdly, she deeply desires that each person would love and honor God, more than we do today.”
Sister Sharon Anne was dearly loved by her family, her religious congregation and all those she ministered and later lived with at Regina Health Center. On the day she died she met people at Mass, enjoyed the beautiful outdoors and spent time with many friends. God has truly blessed us with a special CSA who continues to be a model of a child of our loving God. We thank our God for her.