Sharolyn Kay Harris Thomas Obituary (1955 - 2016)

Sharolyn Kay Thomas passed away July 9, 2016 valiantly fighting that evil monster cancer. It may believe it has won, but her spirit and legacy will live on forever! Plus her body will rise triumphantly in the resurrection! Take that cancer! Sharolyn was born May 22, 1955 to LeRoy Dee and Colleen S. Harris in American Fork, Utah. (Now, if you do the math it may appear she was much older than her admitted age of 29, but to us she will eternally be 29.) She was the eldest of two daughters. She attended and graduated from Pleasant Grove High, plus received her CNA certificate from Utah Valley University. Sharolyn met and married her eternal companion Jeff Thomas in 1971 and they went on to have 6 wonderful children (Jennie, Jared, Matthew, Shelly, Joshua and Nathan). Sharolyn was a member of the LDS Church and she fully dedicated herself by serving in many different callings, such as primary president, young women's president and nursery leader. Her heart truly was with the children of the primary and she spent most of her church service in that area, loving every minute of it and the primary children loving her. Sharolyn spent all of her life dedicated to her family and to serving others. She was a stay at home mom until she felt comfortable that her own children were old enough for her to go out into the workforce to continue to serve others. While she was at home she taught pre-school and many of her now adult students will even today talk about their wonderful experiences in her pre-school. Sharolyn's life of service seemed to focus on children and the elderly. After teaching pre-school she became a teacher's aide tutoring students at Franklin Elementary, where she not only taught them in educational areas but also in becoming good citizens and just good people. After a good long stint as a teacher's aide and because the experience she had in taking care of her beloved Grandma Millie in her home for 7 years before she died, Sharolyn saw there was a need to go serve the elderly. So she became a CNA and went to work for many different agencies in her long career. She loved those she served and they loved her. The agencies she worked for often gave her the patients needing the most loving care. They knew she would take care of them and that the patients truly would love her. She often went to the services of those she served who passed on. We believe she is having a hug-fest with many of those patients now. What more can you say about a person who loved her Savior, emulating His life in every way. She demonstrated this in the way she loved and served others, especially her family. She was the best Nana any Nana-child could ask for and they will tell you that. She was the happiest when her children and her Nana-children were happy and was the most miserable when they were miserable. She loved her roses and her garden (yes, dear I am watering them) and she could grow anything! She loved being with her family, traveling with her husband and celebrating any event with her family. She was preceded in death by her beloved Grandma Millie, her parents (Dee & Colleen), mother-in-law (Gladys), a brother-in-law (Charles) and a nana-daughter (Caridad - who she now can hug), all of whom she now can now share time with and love even more. She leaves behind to carry on her legacy her husband (Jeff), Jennie & RaVal Rasmussen, Jared & Karen Thomas, Matthew & Cindy Thomas, Shelly and LaGrand Lauritzen, Joshua & Ive Thomas, Nathan & Lyndi Thomas, 22 Nana-children, her sister (Sharla), and 2 loving pets (Bacon and Bella), all of whom miss her dearly. They are struggling to go on, but they will because that is what she wanted! In lieu of flowers the family is asking that donations be made to the Huntsman Cancer Foundation. A memorial service, with an open house afterwards, will be held at the LDS Orem Aspen Stake Center, 965 West 2000 North, Orem, Utah, at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 16, 2016. All who loved her are invited to come and celebrate her life! Condolences may be sent to the family at www.olpinmortuary.com.