Jean Elizabeth Master

06/25/1931 - 02/09/2026

Jean Elizabeth (Shimer) Master, 94, of Nazareth, passed away peacefully on February 9, 2026, at Moravian Hall Square.
Born in Forks Township on June 25, 1931, she was the daughter of the late Benjamin M. and Mamie A. (Koch) Shimer. A lifelong Nazareth resident, Jean graduated from Nazareth High School in 1949, where her yearbook noted her early interest in nursing, and described her as ambitious, impeccably dressed, and "never a dull moment," - all of which remained true.
Jean made her home in Nazareth's East Lawn Gardens, where she raised her five children and remained for nearly sixty years. She returned to school to earn her Registered Nurse degree through Northampton Community College, completing studies she had begun years earlier at Abington. While raising her family, she built a nursing career that included private duty work before serving as charge nurse at Eastwood Convalescent Home in Easton.
Following the loss of her son Stephen in 2007, Jean devoted time to volunteering with Hospice of the VNA of St. Luke's in Bethlehem. Through that service, she reconnected with Marlyn Roth, and they leaned on one another in the years that followed. A devoted member of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Nazareth, Jean served on the Evangelism/Social Ministries Committee, expressing her faith through service, loyalty, and steadfast commitment, continuing a tradition carried by generations of women in her family. In her later years, Jean resided at Moravian Hall Square, where she and her beloved sister, Lois Doyle, were seldom far from one another.
Jean was a gifted artist who held high expectations for those around her, spoke with fearless honesty, and had a razor-sharp wit. She loved puzzles, Willie Nelson, trips to the beach, and when it came to cards, she did not play to lose. She was, in every sense, a formidable presence. Her family and friends made sure she was never without their company, surrounding her with the kind of devotion she had earned. Smart and tough, she did not miss a beat, building a life that proved she never required anyone's permission. Beneath that resolve was a deeply compassionate heart and a strength that spoke quietly for itself.
Jean is survived by her children: Michael D. Master; Janice Drosnock and her husband, Peter Jr.; Susan Wida and her husband, Thomas; and Denise Jedrejczyk and her husband, Stephen, all of Nazareth; her sister, Lois Doyle, of Nazareth; her grandchildren: Talya Adoyo, Katelyn Drosnock, Peter (Bo) Drosnock III, Daniel Johnson, Eric Cogorno, Michael D. Master, Victoria Master, and Natalie Master; and her six cherished great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her son, Stephen J. Master, and her brothers, Benjamin H. Shimer and John Shimer.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., on Friday, February 27, 2026, at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, 200 South Broad Street, Nazareth, PA 18064. Calling hours will be held from 10 to 11 a.m., prior to the service at the church. Burial will be private and held at a later date.
Arrangements are under the care and direction of Schmidt Funeral Home, PC, 407 Belvidere St., Nazareth. Please visit www.schmidtfuneralhomepc.com to view Jean's Tribute page.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Jean's memory to the Neurofibromatosis Network, PO Box 1530, Wheaton, IL 60187, or online www.nfnetwork.org/contribute/contribute-online.