Mary Rose Shaughnessy Ph.D.

1931 - 2018

Mary Rose Shaughnessy entered eternal life, her next adventure, surrounded by family and friends on January 22, 2018 following a short illness. Born April 28, 1931 in Kansas City to Frances S. and Joseph B. Shaughnessy, her Catholic family life and education at St. Mary's College '52 led her into religious life in the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross, of which she was a member for 14 years. As Sr. Joseph Frances, she taught English and Math in high schools in Indiana, Illinois and Michigan. In extracurricular programs, she sponsored student groups interested in debate, speech, drama, yearbook, newspaper, film, and art. She earned a master's degree in English at Notre Dame '60 during summer vacations. After teaching at Saint Mary's, she left the Holy Cross Sisters in 1966 and entered the PhD program in English at the University of Chicago, receiving her doctorate in 1973. In 1968, she began teaching at Chicago State University where she remained the rest of her professional career, becoming a full professor and teaching a wide range of courses in the English Department: American literature, women's literature, history of literary criticism, and the always popular composition courses. During this period, she pursued further educational interests, studying scripture at Catholic Theological Union in her beloved Hyde Park. She also pursued an interest in architecture, earning a degree in interior design from Harrington Institute of Interior Design '80. China interested her, so she mastered the language, received a Fulbright and taught at Nanjing University in 1985 and 1986, continuing her connections with her students for the rest of her life. Sailing was a big part of her life from 1980-1996. Her catboat Rum Rum Tugger and Jackson Park Yacht Club were her summer home. After her retirement from teaching in 1996, she continued working as an artist. She worked in the Hyde Park Art Center's Ceramic studio beginning in 1990 and began selling her ceramics at the Community Art Fair. She found she was good at sculpture and filled her house with busts and figures. She also enjoyed painting--watercolor, pastels and Asian ink. She taught pastel painting at the John Campbell Folk School in North Carolina. Genealogical research attracted her in retirement, and she researched the Shaughnessy family and all the various descendants back through Aaron Burr to Charlemagne. England, Europe, Israel, Egypt, China, India, Turkey, Russia, Mexico were all travel destinations. The internet brought her new ways to travel. Cruising replaced sailing. Every year she found another cruise or two. Road Scholar (formerly Elderhostels) offered another opportunity to travel. Her latest passion was discovering her singing voice as a member of the Hyde Park women's choir, Le Cantani di Chicago. Although she lived in Chicago, she maintained close relationships with her family from Kansas City, her sister Kathleen and Dick Connor's family, her sister Carol (Bob deceased) Miller's family, and her deceased brother Joe (Pat deceased) Shaughnessy's family and all their children, several of whom she nurtured and mentored when they visited and careered in Chicago. Rose will be greatly missed! Rosary at 11:00, followed by Visitation with Memorial Mass at 12:00 on February 12 at St. Thomas the Apostle Church. Contributions may be made in her honor to her parish, St. Thomas, Le Cantani di Chicago or to Saint Mary's College.