Sharon is a lifelong member of Saint John’s. Her parents, Harold and Anna, were reared on farms in Wellington, where they attended Zion Lutheran Church. Harold’s family moved off the farm in 1946 and settled in Fort Collins, where they joined Saint John’s. Sharon was born on March 29, 1949, the oldest of three children. She was baptized on May 1 by Pastor Meyer. Sharon felt dearly loved by her parents, Aunt Eva, and the grandparents with whom her family lived until she was seven years old. The family home was on the 300 block of West Magnolia Street. Sharon walked to school and remembers always feeling safe. She attended Franklin, Remington and Putnam grade schools and Lincoln Junior High on Magnolia and Meldrum, where the Lincoln Center is now located.

Sharon remembers going to Sunday School and Aunt Eva singing in the choir. She fondly remembers getting a small brown paper bag with a piece of fresh fruit, nuts and ribbon candy after each Christmas Eve service. To this day, she always buys ribbon candy at Christmas time. One of her favorite Sunday School teachers was Roberta Galyardt. Sharon and her sister, Sheryl, were confirmed through adult instruction by Pastor Hennig on June 16, 1968.

Sharon was in the first Sophomore class to attend the then-new Poudre High School, and graduated in 1967. At the age of 17 she started her first job on Memorial Day weekend at King’s Food Host. The restaurant was owned by Dean Whiteman. Sharon was a single professional woman for the next twenty years. It wasn’t until 1984 that she and Dean had their first “date”: they ate together in the hospital cafeteria when Dean came to visit Sharon’s father, Harold, who passed away a few months later.

After going through marriage class with Pastor Nickel, Sharon married her best friend, Dean, on May 2, 1986, in a garden ceremony at the Avery House. Pastor Nickel performed the ceremony. Sharon remembers Pastor Nickel telling Dean at their first meeting, “Dean, some of my best Lutherans were Methodists!” Dean joined the congregation and remained a faithful member. He worked in commercial property management and real estate at the time, while Sharon managed Ladies’ & Gentlemen’s Fine Shoes, a shop that Dean owned. Dean suffered a life-threatening stroke in 1990. In late 1994 Sharon had the opportunity to join Dean in retirement, allowing them to focus on Dean’s health and making the most of their time together.

Sharon lost Dean almost four years ago. She continues to miss her soulmate. Sharon remains close to her step-children. Scrapbooking and interior decorating are her favorite hobbies. Sharon also enjoys flower arranging and container gardening. She travels frequently with her friends and family. It is her friends and family and the closeness of her church family who have helped her through this transitional time of life.

Current activities at Saint John’s which Sharon enjoys are the Woman-to- Woman Bible Study, being an office volunteer for a number of years and serving on the Worship Arts Committee. Sharon is also a former church council member and has ushering experience as well.

Sharon feels she has had a rather straight-forward but interesting life. She had great parents, loving families and was so blessed to have a husband who was the perfect partner. Her family motto seems to have been “stick with what works”. This served both Sharon and other family members well in work, in their personal lives and in their faithfulness to Saint John‘s. She is thankful for the many blessings and wonderful memories.

Get to know your family at Saint John’s! Each month we interview another of our long-time members to find out about their life, their Christian journey and their history at Saint John’s Lutheran.