Sharon J

Schildroth

Sharon J. Schildroth, age 78, of Grandville, MI passed away on Saturday, October 15, 2022. Sharon will be deeply missed by her daughters, Colleen Ward and Bridget (Justin) Rains; granddaughters, Avery and Lily; mother Dorothy Thompson; sister Connie Fordyce; niece Kerrie (Chris) Kitts; and great nephews Reilly, Connor, Matthew, Charlie, and Carson. She was preceded in death by her husband, Roger Schildroth and her father, Arthur Thompson.

Born in Detroit Michigan, Sharon attended Cass Tech High School and Wayne State University where she received her bachelors degree. Prior to becoming a full-time mother, Sharon was an elementary school teacher. Despite stepping back from her chosen field, she later combined her background in education with one of her other lifelong pursuits. A member of the Michigan bowling community for over 60 years, Sharon's involvement in the sport was truly her lifelong passion. She served as the Michigan State USBC Association Manager and held leadership positions in women's and youth bowling in both Detroit and Grand Rapids, as well as at the state level. She was inducted into both the Grand Rapids Bowling Hall of Fame and the Michigan State USBC WBA Hall of Fame, and, in 2014, was honored as the USBC Youth Volunteer of the Year. She was proud to have participated in the USBC Women's Championship tournament for 47 consecutive years, often alongside her mother and sister. Tapping into her skills and knowledge from her years in teaching, she served as an instructor and facilitated the process for the award of scholarships to youth bowlers in Michigan. Above all, it was through her involvement in bowling that she met her husband, Roger.

Sharon was a devoted and proud grandmother who enjoyed spoiling her granddaughters as often as possible. She and Roger were dedicated Michigan State fans, and spent many happy Saturdays each fall at Spartan Stadium. She loved pugs, and her dogs, Cricket, and Daisy, each of whom often accompanied her to bowling tournaments and meetings across Michigan. She was one of Neil Diamond's biggest fans, having every album he ever released and attending as many of his concerts as she could during her lifetime. She loved to travel and find new and interesting attractions to visit everywhere she and Roger went. Some of her favorite trips included a trip overseas to Scotland and England with her sister and brother-in-law, a 40th anniversary cruise to Alaska, trips to Hawaii and any vacation taken with her granddaughters. Her favorite indulgence was a Detroit classic, Sanders hot fudge crème puffs.

A celebration of life honoring Sharon will be held in Michigan in the near future. In memory of Sharon and in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Brightening Veteran's Lives (BVL), 11350 Random Hills Road, Suite #800, Fairfax, VA 22030, www.bowlforveterans.org . Friends and family are encouraged to leave condolences at www.andres-wuestefeldfh.com.