Sharon Arlene Denne

Sharon Arlene Denne (Rumford) passed away on July 14, 2024, at Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital in Orillia after a brief illness. Sharon was the loving wife of Allan, and they had recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. She was the devoted mother of Darrin (Leah Meredith), Kevin and Ian (Larraine), the beloved grandmother of Cameron, Abby and Ethan, and the cherished sister of Maureen (Plater). She will be greatly missed by her 15 nieces and nephews, her surviving cousins, and her many friends, other family and former neighbours.

Sharon dedicated her life to raising and caring for her family and friends in various communities across Ontario including Delhi, Tweed, Renfrew, Port Sydney and Gravenhurst. She was the consummate homemaker and an avid gardener, enjoyed bird-watching, and loved the challenge of a jigsaw puzzle, crossword or sudoku. There was no gentler soul on Earth, always ready with a kind word and available to help if asked.

While Sharon’s passion for housekeeping may not have been passed on to her boys, they have inherited her legacy of caring and compassion and are passing it along to her grandchildren. Amongst her boys’ fondest childhood memories are her Sunday dinners and the trips she insisted on every two weeks to the library no matter where they were living. Those trips instilled in them a lifelong love of reading and learning that has served them well. Sharon also took great pride in parenting a foreign student who remained her friend for life and gives Sharon credit for many of her life lessons.

Sharon was the rock on which her family was built, and her absence will be deeply felt.

The family would like to thank the staff at the South Muskoka Memorial Hospital in Bracebridge, Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital in Orillia, and The Manor at Gravenhurst for taking such excellent care of Sharon in the difficult final leg of her life’s journey.

A celebration of life will be held at the Gravenhurst Legion on Saturday, August 17 from 1 to 5 p.m. All who knew and were touched by Sharon are welcome to drop by to share their memories with her family and friends. The microphone will open at 2 p.m. for those who wish to share their remembrances publicly. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Canadian Lung Association.