A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 1:00 p.m. Thursday (2-26-09) in St. Joseph Church, Sharon, with the Rev. Glenn R. Whitman, pastor, as celebrant for Mary Ann Tishov, Astoria, New York; formerly of Sharon. She passed away peacefully at 3:15 p.m. Sunday (2-22-09) in Calvary Hospital, Bronx, NY as a result of cancer. She was 47.

Miss Tishov was born October 6, 1961 in Sharon a daughter of Adam J. and Joann Eskay Tishov.

She was a 1980 graduate of Sharon High School and, upon her graduation, took part in the Rotary Exchange Student Program and spent a year overseas studying in Denmark. After her return to the states, she earned an undergraduate degree in Communication Disorders from the Pennsylvania State University and was employed by The Gertrude A. Barber National Institute in Erie, Pennsylvania teaching the hearing impaired. Miss Tishov earned a second undergraduate degree in Vocal Performance from Youngstown State University, Dana School of Music, and after completing her studies, returned to Europe for a summer, to study opera in Austria. In 1995 Miss Tishov moved to New York to pursue a career in opera. She also worked for the JPMorgan Funds Management Firm in Manhattan as the Senior Administrative Assistant to the Marketing Department.

At the time of her death, she was rehearsing the lead role of the Countess in the opera "The Marriage of Figaro" with the New York Opera Forum in New York City.

Miss Tishov is survived by her parents in Sharon; two brothers, John Tishov, Brookfield, Ohio; and Denis Tishov and his wife Maureen, Greenville, PA; three sisters, Katherine May and her husband Bradley, Sharon; Ellen Kosick and her husband Thomas, Grove City, PA; and Margaret Artac and her husband Gene, Sharon; and 11 nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to the Sharon High School Music Department.

Family will receive friends one hour before the service in the gathering room of St. Joseph Church.

Interment: St. Rose Cemetery, Hermitage, PA.