Obituary: Sharon Steele

Sharon Steele

Just eleven short days before her 80th birthday, wife, mother, mother-in law, stepmother, grandma, and great-grandma Sharon Renae Steele passed away July 5, 2023 at her home in Jamestown, N.D., after a long and brave battle with Alzheimer's. While this condition tested her memory towards the very end, she always had a smile for everyone who visited her.

Sharon Renae (Davis, Carlson) Steele was born July 16, 1943, to Leslie and Lillian Davis in Carrington, N.D. She was raised on the family farm in rural Carrington with her 12 siblings and attended elementary school in Nordmore #2 township, which was a one-room country schoolhouse.

She graduated from Carrington High School in 1961, and according to her report cards was a very bright student!

After high school she moved to Valley City, N.D., worked as a waitress and met the first love of her life, Larry Dennis Carlson. Together they moved to Fargo, N.D., where she attended Interstate Business College. Sharon and Larry were married August 6, 1965, and they had two daughters, Christy and Tracy.

In 1972, they moved to Valley City where she was a stay-at-home mom and did in-home day care for several years. When her girls were older, she moved on to Barnes County Social Services for a short time until Larry passed away on May 27, 1977.

Following Larry's death and wanting to be closer to family, she and the girls moved to Carrington. She worked at the Foster County Independent for a while and then went to work for her sister and brother-in-law at C&J Oil Co.

After her daughters graduated, she moved back to Valley City and resumed her career at Barnes County Social Services, transferring to Stutsman County Social Services in Jamestown in 1990, where she remained until her retirement in 2008.

1990 was the year she met the second and last love of her life, Merlin Alton Steele and they married on August 31, 1991, in Deadwood, South Dakota. As a result of this marriage, she welcomed Tammy (Gasal), Troy and Chad Steele into her life as a stepmother.

Sharon and Merlin lived on a farmstead in Pingree for the first few years of their marriage and then moved into Jamestown in 1994. They were the best of friends and they loved playing pinochle and cards with ANYONE who knew how (and we mean anyone... they loved playing cards!).

They enjoyed camping at Lake Ashtabula and spent several seasons there fishing, dancing, playing bingo, and just relaxing with friends and family.

Sharon loved to read, quilt and crochet (her children and most of her grand and great-grandchildren have a quilt or afghan to prove this!). Merlin and Sharon loved to go to the casinos as well. While they didn't win a million dollars, they were lucky some of the time, but the most important thing is that they had fun and loved being together.

Sharon is survived by her husband, Merlin; daughters, Christy (Steve) and Tracy; stepdaughter, Tammy; stepsons, Troy and Chad (Stephanie); grandchildren: Adam (Samantha), Brenden (Emily), Taylor (Samantha), Kinsey (Matthew); McKenzie, Blayke (Abby), Talexi, Agnes, Katrina, Jacob, Brenden, Nicole (Steven), Jadyn, Alexis (Hugh), Avery, and Alivia; several great-grandchildren: Dally, Elli, Raelynn, Julian, Bennett, Stella, Larah, Tori and Baby Girl Wolf due November 2023; her sisters, Connie, Patsy, Leanna, Mary, Lynette and Julie; sisters-in-law, Veronica and Kathleen as well as many nieces and nephews.

Sharon was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband; brothers, Don, Frank and Randy; three sisters, Janice, Suzanne and Kathy; three brothers-in-law, Dwaine, Roger and James and two stepdaughters-in-law, Marena and Teresa.

A celebration of Sharon's life will be held Friday, July 14 at Haut Funeral Home, 1101 5th Ave NE, Jamestown, at 2:00 p.m.

Sharon's wish was to be cremated and laid to rest beside her first husband, Larry, at Memory Gardens, Valley City on Saturday, July 15 at 10:30 a.m.

Arrangements by Haut Funeral Home, Jamestown, N.D.