My Sister
Sharon was the oldest sibling of four; I was the youngest. Being the first born, Sharon was loved and spoiled by her three maternal uncles, two grandmothers and two grandfathers.
Born after the end of WWII, and before the invention of the polio vaccine, Sharon contracted polio. Fortunately, she survived; she always claimed being short was because of contracting polio at such a young age. She had therapy and diligently performed her physical exercises to regain her ability to walk. She was a lucky survivor.
She was an only child for six years, and then my brother, another sister, and me were born. Being six years older than my brother, Sharon gladly accepted a great deal of responsibility for her younger siblings. She liked the control and being in charge of us; this contributed to her developing leadership skills very early in life. She was the favorite grandchild of both sets of grandparents...well until little Stevie came along. But she was adored for six years without any sibling competition.
Sharon was a Brownie and a Girl Scout, she was a fan of the original Mouseketeers, was in the high school marching band, was a good student, and loved to read. She married right out of high school, worked her entire life in administrative-type positions and never had children of her own. Her children were the furry, four-legged kind. I cannot begin to count all of the animals, strays, and rescued souls she loved and cared for over her years on earth, but there were many. At the end of her working day, coming home to a house filled with wagging tails and unconditional love brought Sharon great joy.
She lived in Arizona for a short period, moved to Atlanta when she was in her twenties, and loved becoming a true southern girl. She blossomed in Georgia and really became the endearing soul she was to many. She made and fostered many friendships as an adult and endeared herself to others easily. She met and married Wayne Michale Todd while in Georgia, and together they shared a life of love and adventure together. Also while in her twenties, Sharon contracted Crohn’s disease, before the medical community really even knew what CD was or how to treat it. She was a true medical pioneer patient as the medical community learned more and more about Crohn’s disease and ulcerative ileitis. She was a trooper, and continued the ongoing struggle for years until the disease was brought under control.
Sharon had more than her share of physical struggles, but she always remained hopeful and positive. Many folks never realized she had any physical ailments because she lived her life to the fullest and enjoyed each day.
Besides her love for reading and science fiction, Sharon was an excellent cook and baker throughout her life. She loved to create dishes, embellish recipes, and improvise as she went along. There wasn’t any kind or type of food she wouldn’t tackle. She loved Thai food later in life, and could master just about any dish you desired. She was in the same class as Julia Child and Martha Stewart when it came to cooking and creating delicious dishes. She was as adventurous in life as she was with creating meals. She was an original foodie. Sharon was the first person I called when trying to make my first Thanksgiving Turkey. As an eighteen year old, how was I to know they bagged the gizzards, neck and whatever and placed it inside the cavity of the turkey and you had to remove it BEFORE stuffing it with dressing? Sharon saved the day.
While we may not have been close geographically as adult siblings, there were periods she and my other sister talked daily, weekly, and monthly. Sharon at times had two-hour commutes to and from work in ATL, and we would use that time to talk hands-free and catch up on life. My commute was only about ten minutes, but I would arrive home and sit in my driveway while keeping Sharon company on her longer commute.
I miss those calls, and that time we shared. I find comfort in knowing that Sharon’s physical suffering on earth has ended, and she was embraced by our Heavenly Father, by mother Laura, father Donald, Grandmothers’ Mary and Grace, Uncles’ Donnie and Myron, and friends too many to list by name. I will miss Sharon everyday until the day I die; may she Rest In Peace and may Wayne Michael find solace in the memories they shared.