DiGIACOMO, MARIA M.

DiGIACOMO, MARIA M. led an uncommon and extraordinary life which is best defined by two words: serve and empower. A humanitarian who used her preeminent skills as a teacher and nutritionist in order to champion the rights of children and empower the women who cared for them here at home in the United States and in countries across the world, Maria, Aunt Mary to her loving nieces and nephews, died on October 24, 2015, approximately a week after celebrating 100 years of a life well-lived with her beloved family. In her lifetime, Maria received myriad awards and commendations for her work with women and children in impoverished and underdeveloped regions in places such as Ghana, Ethiopia and India, and at home in the states in Philadelphia and Cape May County. Of these awards, her most cherished was the Alice Stokes Paul Award developed by the Cape May County Commission and presented to Maria, its first recipient, for her tireless efforts to raise the status of women everywhere. This defining moment in her life embodied her spirit and her passionate cause to serve underrepresented and marginalized populations of women and to help them find their own voices. A woman of incomparable spirit and extraordinary talents, Marias story began with her birth in Philadelphia in 1915. She was raised in Wildwood NJ, graduated from Wildwood High School and continued her education at Drexel University where she earned a Bachelors Degree in Nutrition Science. Later, in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Maria would go on to earn two Masters degrees: one in Nutrition Science from Cornell University, and a second one from Haverford College in Political Science, Sociology and Anthropology. After completing her undergraduate education at Drexel, Maria enlisted in the US Army where she served as a Sargent from 1944 through 1946, earning recognition for her service. Following an honorable discharge from the army, Maria began a teaching career which took her from the School District of Philadelphia where she taught Home Economics at Sulzberger Junior High School and Lincoln High School to a position as instructor of Nutrition Science at her alma mater, Drexel University. Interestingly, the impetus to diversify and broaden her teaching experience came from a mentor teacher during Marias time at Drexel. Maria has credited her mentor with encouraging her to take her considerable skills and vast knowledge of nutrition science abroad, to places where they would be of the most consequential importance and use. A fellowship from Haverford College sent her to a two year posting in Ghana where she worked in community development setting up courses which trained village level workers to teach women. Thus, her passionate mission to empower women found fruition and a 25-year career helping women and children throughout the world was born. Marias skills and her work garnered her a reputation which became widely known and respected, and which subsequently resulted in an invitation from the Emperor Haile Selassie to work as a teacher and a pediatric nutritionist in Ethiopia where she also taught and served as Dean of Women at the University of Addis Ababa. In addition to teaching in the Peace Corps for the University of PA, she later served for seven years in India as an advisor in nutrition to the Indian government under the UNs Food and Agricultural Organization. In between her postings abroad, Maria gave her time and energy to various programs here in the United States. For a time, she served in the cardiac care unit at Lankenau Hospital, and she was recalled from India for a time in order to resuscitate and re-establish the WIC program at Jefferson Hospital where she also served as the chief nutritionist in the WIC program itself. Retirement brought Maria to new ventures in Cape May County. Having decided to spend her post retirement years in Sea Isle City, NJ, Maria could not be idle for very long. During this time, she took on numerous challenges and responsibilities which further underscored her mission to educate and empower women and to work tirelessly for the protection of children. In addition to a four year post with the Sea Isle City Board of Education, Maria was a member of the countys human services advisory council and initiated an after-school program for children of working mothers, she founded the Coalition of Women Against Rape and Abuse (CARA), she was director of the Cape May County nutrition program and she was appointed to Governor Keanes Child Life Protection Commission. In addition to her prized Alice Stokes Paul Award, Maria earned much recognition and many awards for her many years of service both here and abroad. Another award which meant a great deal to her was a Certificate of Recognition from the Advisory Commission On the Status of Women and Women Who Make a Difference for her work in founding CARA and an award given to her by the Cape May County Freeholders which honored her for her dedication and commitment to Cape May County and its women and children. She received the first Blue Ribbon Award from Caring for Kids, Inc. of Cape May County, an award given annually and was named in her honor. Maria is survived by many nephews and nieces who dearly loved and revered her for who she was and all that she stood for, among them Rita Hill, Virginia Wilson, Mary Collins and Rosemarie Klasky. Relatives and friends are invited to her Funeral Mass Thursday 10:30am St. Mary Magdalen Church 2400 Providence Rd. Media, PA 19063 and to her Viewing Thursday 9:30am in the Church Interment Holy Cross Cemetery. As a tribute to her work and her long and extraordinary life, the family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations in her memory be sent to Caring For Kids of Cape May County, caringforkidsnj.com, and to CARA, cara-cmc.org. Arrangements: O’Leary Funeral Home, Ltd, Springfield PA 19064