Sharon was born January 19th, 1963 in Seattle, Washington. She passed away from Coronavirus on April 29th, 2020. She was 57. Sharon is survived by her sister, Kathy Hesseltine, her niece, Ami McCuaig and her grand nephew, Malachi Simpson.
These are the basic facts of my sister’s life and death, but they don’t begin to tell the story of an extraordinary life and the impact she made on family and friends.
Sharon was born Down syndrome , ( She would want me to point out she was a Mosaic Down syndrome with some normal chromosomes), at a time when parents were advised to place their child in an institution. Instead, our parents brought her home.
Sharon grew up experiencing many of the same activities as her two older sisters, including the mandatory piano lessons. She joined Camp Fire, took dance lessons when she was younger, and she has always loved to dance! She enjoyed books & reading her movie magazines, going camping, and being on the Seattle Park’s softball, bowling, basketball, and track & field teams.
Sharon loved family, friends, YMCA, ( where she volunteered for years), music, attending stage plays, walking on the beach, Wonder Woman, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Donnie & Marie Osmond, Michael Jackson, Special Olympics, Seattle Parks & Camp Long, her favorite daytime show, One Life To Live, Margaritas and the staff and roommates at Meridian House.
Sharon has performed with her school dance team at the Opera House. She gave a speech following speeches from former Governor Dan Evans and then mayor, Ron Sims at the presentation of the book “Becoming Citizens” at the University of Washington.
Sharon earned her social security on her own work record. She worked part & full time at Pasta & Co., a dental office, King County District Court and Skills Inc.
On Friday April 17th Sharon and I visited in the backyard of her house, eating take out ( at a distance), and filling out a questionnaire for an upcoming meeting.
Question: What makes me happy?
Sharon’s answer: Sunshine
Doing things for my roommates
Enjoying Life….and she did!