Sharon Garmon Obituary

SHARON (SHERI) DAWN GARMON Dec. 27, 1951 - Sept. 16, 2005 A service celebrating the life of Sharon (Sheri) Dawn Garmon will be held Thursday, September 22, 2005 at 2:00 PM at Potter's Funeral Chapel in Emmett, Idaho. Sheri, born in Emmett, started her education in the old Brick School House and after many high school activities and honors, graduated as valedictorian from Emmett High School in 1970. She continued her education at the University of Idaho, where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. In 1974 she married Thomas Klein and that fall graduated summa cum laude. She was hired directly out of college by the accounting firm of Arthur Anderson and was one of the first women in the state of Idaho to receive a CPA license. The "light of her life", her daughter Katie, was born in 1980, and after she and Tom moved to Elko, Nevada, Sheri continued the early years of her 32-year CPA career. She was a devoted mother, delighting in raising her daughter and worked as an appointed and elected official in many areas including the Board of Directors for Spring Creek Homeowners Association, WRCA and as a member of the Elko Zoning Committee and Beta Sigma Phi. Sheri, encouraged by family and friends, became known for her work in bringing national attention to the "downwinder's" plight in the state of Idaho. With the help of State Representative Kathy Skippen, and although terminally ill with cancer herself, she worked diligently with local and federal officials to help bring a bill to the US Senate Committee for compensation by the national RECA program to victims in the highly exposed counties of Idaho. Sheri lived in Vancouver, WA, the last three years of her life and was an active member of the Orchards Methodist Church and also a member of the Vancouver Red Hat Society. In addition, she was a participant in the SW Medical Cancer Support Group. Sheri was a source of inspiration to everyone she came in contact with as she fought her 14-year battle with cancer. She showed all those she came in contact with the joys and adventures of living. Although her life was a short 53 years, she felt it was rich and full with many adventures and opportunities. As a friend recently wrote, "While challenged by her own illness, Sheri never quit caring about others. As always, she presented herself as a confident, professional woman." Sheri is survived by her daughter, Katie Dawn Klein; her mother, Millie Garmon; her father, the late Don Garmon; and sister and brother-in-law, Apryl Garmon and Rob Chittenden. She also leaves behind several cousins and many friends whose lives have been made richer by knowing and loving her. In summing up her life she said, "It was a great ride!"