Sharon passed away on June 19, 2025, surrounded by her husband and daughters. She was born in Quincy, IL on September 18, 1943, the second daughter of Harold and Ila (Dean) Zipse. Her early years were spent in Mt. Sterling, IL, where her parents owned and operated a Gambles retail store. Working in the store alongside her family was a foundational part of her adolescent years.

Sharon graduated first in her class from Brown County High School in 1961. She went on to attend Monmouth College in Illinois. The broader worldview offered by higher education bolstered her intellectual curiosity and expanded her horizons. She graduated with a degree in chemistry in 1965. Graduate school took her to Duke University in Durham, NC, where she received a Master of Arts in Teaching. Sharon went on to teach in the public schools of Danville, VA from 1965-1967. 1965 saw the integration of Danville’s schools. The emotional fortitude demonstrated by the first two Black students at Woodrow Wilson Junior High left a profound impression on her.

Sharon met her future husband, Wayne F. Fesler, while attending Duke. Coincidentally, they were both raised in western Illinois within forty miles of each other. They were married in Mt. Sterling on March 26, 1967. The first years of their married life were spent in Pittsburgh, PA where Wayne began his career in hospital administration. Sharon lost both of her parents while living in Pittsburgh. Their passing left a deep gulf in her life. Fortunately, she was preoccupied with raising their two young daughters, Lisa and Julie.

Sharon and Wayne moved to Oxford, OH in 1973 when Wayne accepted a new position as head administrator for the local hospital. While in Oxford, Sharon attended Miami University for coursework in accountancy. She passed the CPA exam in 1976 just before relocating to DeKalb, IL where Wayne had accepted a position at Kishwaukee Community Hospital and where they could be closer to family.

In January 1978, Sharon began work with the National Bank and Trust Company in Sycamore, IL. She took a position in the Trust Department where she eventually became the department’s first female trust officer. While with the bank she attended the National Graduate Trust School at Northwestern University, graduating with honors. Assisting retired clients with financial concerns was particularly fulfilling work for her. Her work at the bank spanned twenty-three years. She retired in 2001.

Sharon stayed busy in her retirement, filling much of her time with volunteer work. She served as Chair of both the Family Service Agency and the DeKalb County Nursing Home Foundation and as President of the Safe Passage Board. Additionally, she served as a member of the Sybaquay Girl Scout Council and the PEO Chapter DX. Her church, Westminster Presbyterian, was extremely important to her. She served as Elder, Deacon, and Treasurer there, but her greatest joy was working with the little ones in the Children’s Workshop. In later years, she volunteered for committee work with Blackhawk Presbytery, served as President of the Board of Directors of the Synod of Lincoln Trails (Illinois and Indiana), a board member of the Presbyterian Church Foundation, and a member and later Chair of the board of the New Covenant Trust Co., a subsidiary of the Foundation. Service with the church allowed Sharon to expand her acquaintances to include many she greatly admired. To her credit, her family and friends were often unaware of the scope, number and duration of her volunteer commitments. 

Sharon and Wayne were fortunate to travel far and wide. International highlights included Machu Picchu, Paris, London, the Great Wall of China, and a journey from Cape Town to Cairo. Along the way, Sharon appreciated unique cultures and strived to be a traveler more than a tourist. Family excursions included three National Wildlife Foundation family camps, multiple trips to Disney World, and countless visits to battle grounds, museums and historical sites. One of the most memorable family trips was a three-week, 6,600-mile western U.S. road trip involving a mile-by-mile itinerary, two cranky teenagers, and a bottomless cooler of bologna sandwiches. When it came to extended family, Sharon adored and never missed the annual Boating Weekend which kept relationships vibrant across multiple generations. Sharon’s last big family trip was to the Hawaiian Islands in 2017 where she and Wayne treated the children and grandchildren to a multi-island cruise to mark their 50th wedding anniversary. A highlight of that trip was the day Sharon insisted on riding a mountain bike down a volcano which she successfully navigated accompanied by the sole volunteer, her brave son-in-law, Anthony.

Sharon’s greatest love was spending time with her children and grandchildren, which she did in abundance. She was thrilled to see all three grandchildren happily married and thriving in their adult lives. As a parent and grandparent, she was a force to be reckoned with. She led by example as a champion for the less fortunate, an outspoken supporter of social justice, and an unapologetic feminist. She was a great listener, and a thoughtful advisor who rarely lacked (or failed to share) her opinion. One was wise to consider her advice. She was nothing if not strong-willed and taught her daughters and grandchildren that there was little they could not accomplish with enough effort and the right attitude. As her granddaughter Sophia once wrote, “She was full of rich, stubborn love.”

Sharon is survived by her husband Wayne and their two daughters, Lisa (Anthony) Sharp an architect, of DeKalb and Julie (Nathan) Hanson a physician of Urbandale, IA. Also surviving are her three grandchildren, Sophia (Adam) Slade of Urbandale, IA, Jackson (Moana Okura) Sharp of Seattle, WA, and Katherine (Heath Kuykendall) Sharp of DeSoto, TX. Sharon leaves behind a sister, Audrey Harris of Jupiter, FL, three nieces, Anita (Daniel) Craig of Lake St. Louis, MO, Sue (Gary) Knapp of Elkhorn, NE, and Jordan Harris of Palm Beach Gardens, FL, and three nephews, Steven (Charlene, deceased) Behrends of Naperville, IL, Paul (Noreen) Behrends of St Mary’s, GA and Todd (Warun) Harris of Stuart, FL. She was preceded in death by her sister, Janis (Richard) Behrends, as well as her parents.

A celebration of life is scheduled for Saturday, July 12th at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 830 Annie Glidden Road, DeKalb, IL with visitation starting at 9:30 A.M., memorial service at 11:00 A.M., and a luncheon to follow.

In lieu of flowers, please donate your time or treasure where they can do the most good for the marginalized and oppressed in this world we share. Sharon was especially fond of the Southern Poverty Law Center, Montgomery, AL.