GRAHAM, Sharon Catherine Myrtle

September 7, 1942 — December 8, 2023

Sharon Graham passed away at the age of 81 years, on December 8, 2023, in Kelowna, BC.  She is survived by her daughter Cory Lyn Boden (Curtis Pannell and grandson Cameron Pannell); siblings Dennis (Susan), Lorraine (Raymond), Gerald (Shelby), Diane (Jim), John (Louise), Delanne, and Michael (Vicky); Brothers-in-Law Gary Graham (Diedre), Morley Graham (Gwen), Sister-in-Law Betty Graham; along with a great many nieces and nephews. Sharon was predeceased by her husband Don and daughter Leanne.

Sharon was born on September 7, 1942, in Stonewall, Manitoba, and raised in Winnipeg.  As the eldest of 8 children, plus several foster children, Sharon had many responsibilities at a young age, yet managed to be the first of her family to attend and graduate from University.  While working at Dog-n-Suds in Winnipeg in 1962, she met Don Graham.  They married on December 27, 1965, and moved to Regina, SK.  Friend and family events filled their time in Regina, summers were spent at their cabin out at White Bear Lake, and they welcomed daughter Leanne in 1974.  Leanne was a delightful child but unfortunately passed shortly before her 8th birthday, which prompted Sharon & Don to open the Regina chapter of Compassionate Friends – a group to support grieving parents. Fast-forward a couple of years and along came a little girl for adoption. Leanne had always wanted a little sister, so Sharon and Don jumped at the opportunity to welcome Cory Lyn into their lives in February 1984.  They eventually moved to the Okanagan in 1989 where they made West Kelowna their home for the next 35+ years.

Sharon loved to ski – whether joining the Wednesday Ladies Day, or skiing on the weekends with Don & Cory Lyn straight from the condo at Big White.  Summers in BC were spent on the golf course, many rounds at The Ponderosa with Don, Cory Lyn, and whoever joined as a 4th – sometimes friends, sometimes family, sometimes strangers that became friends. Throughout their lives, Sharon and Don were fortunate to travel extensively: trips to Disney World while Cory Lyn was young, and then once they both retired, more adventurous trips to New Zealand, Turkey, Prague, European River Cruise, and Spain (to name only a few).  As the years went by, friends and family came and went; treasured pets (Shadow, Pepper, Daisy Mae) were loved and lost; and both Sharon and Don’s health dissolved.  Don’s long-standing heart condition caused a relatively quick demise, and he passed in March 2015; Sharon’s diagnosis with Parkinson’s Disease in late 2013 was the beginning of the end, and unfortunately, as the years passed her body just gave away.  In the end, the pain was intolerable and Sharon knew it was time to go – so surrounded by loved ones she passed peacefully on December 8, 2023.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

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