Sharon Budd, 79
Sharon Sue Budd was born on Oct. 1, 1946, in Fort Wayne, Ind., to Robert and Helen (Mehlbrech) Budd. She grew up outside of Canistota, S.D., where she attended country school and later Canistota Public School. During her childhood, she enjoyed spending time with her horse, Lighting, and her dog, Rocky. Sharon was a member of the 4-H Club and learned many of the skills she loved – sewing, gardening, and baking – from her grandmother, Edith Mehlbrech.
Sharon worked at John Morrell’s, which she fondly referred to as the “Pig House,” in the pork trim department trimming neck bones. After the major strike in 1987, she worked as a waitress, always going above and beyond to make ends meet. In 1991, she began driving semi-truck over the road for Bibb’s, traveling across the country, most often to the West Coast. Even while trucking, she continued working part-time at the Brandon Steakhouse for many years during her days home from the road.
Although she had been married and was unlucky in love, Sharon was blessed with three beautiful daughters. After she began trucking, she met the love of her life, Terry Snyder. They shared nearly 15 wonderful years together before Terry was called home to God in 2008.
Sharon had many hobbies and talents. She loved gardening, sewing, baking, cooking, crafting, shopping, and thrifting. She and her daughter Susie enjoyed doing craft shows together and looked forward to their Saturday thrift-store adventures. For many years, Sharon baked cookies for First Dakota Title, earning her the affectionate nickname “The Cookie Lady.” She took great pride in caring for her lawn, and many people commented that walking on it felt like walking on carpet. She also loved tending to her garden and numerous flower beds. She went camping with Candy and her family a few times. Sharon traveled to Hawaii several times and was able to venture there with her oldest daughter, Jeannie.
Sharon was a social butterfly who loved talking with everyone she met. She made friends easily and had a kind and generous heart, always willing to help anyone in need. She was a determined, strong, and independent woman with a wonderful – sometimes colorful – sense of humor. Sharon was truly a spitfire, and once you met her, you never forgot her. Many people lovingly referred to her as “Grandma Sharon.”
Sharon is survived by her three girls, Jeannie (Jim) Luke, Kimball, S.D., Candy (Terry) Northern, Canistota, and Sue “Reiff” Winkel, Sioux Falls; nine grandchildren, Lacey (DJ Yost) Northern, Whitney (Donald) Titze, Michael Kindt, Kaci (Troy) Janzen, Jesse (Ashley) Northern, Tyler Smith, Cody (Megan) Northern, Kylee (Ryan) Urban, Kyle (Alice Werth) Narum; 19 great-grandchildren; one brother, Bob (Judy) Budd, Sioux Falls; nephew, Mike (Amy) Budd, Sioux Falls.
Condolences may be mailed to The Family of Sharon Budd, PO Box 73, Brandon, SD 57005.
