Sharon Lee Smith, 82, of Ridgecrest, California, passed away at her home on August 29, 2023, with her husband Ron by her side. She was born on June 9, 1941, in Bakersfield, California. Sharon was a kind, loving, and hospitable wife and mother who touched the lives of many.
Although she was born in Bakersfield, Sharon spent most of her childhood and adult life living in Ridgecrest. She married Ron (her husband of nearly sixty years) in Weldon, California. She and Ron also lived for a time on a ranch in nearby Canebrake, where they raised horses and livestock.
Sharon graduated from Burroughs High School and later pursued higher education at Cerro Coso Community College.
Throughout her career, Sharon held various administrative assistant positions. At the nearby Naval base in China Lake, she worked as an administrative assistant to the Base Commander as well as to the Captain of Public Works. Additionally, Sharon served as a medical secretary at the office of Dr. Zumwalt, also in China Lake.
Sharon was active and dedicated within a number of local organizations in her area. She was instrumental in helping to found a local chapter of the Devil Pups youth organization; she served in a secretarial capacity for the local Kern County Sheriff Search and Rescue team, and she helped to administrate a branch of the Footprints Organization.
Sharon attended Crossroads Community Church in Ridgecrest, where she found love and support. She cherished the sense of community she experienced there.
Outside of her professional life, Sharon had a variety of hobbies. She loved spending time with her family, traveling around the country, horseback riding, camping, antique collecting, and painting. These activities brought her a lot of joy and allowed her to express her creativity.
Sharon is survived by her husband Ron, her sons Darren, Brian, and Mark, her sister Charlice, and her brother George. Darren resides in Lake Isabella, California, while Brian resides in Lancaster, California, and Mark resides in St. George, Utah. Sharon was preceded in death by her father, Lee Smith, and her mother, Elsie Smith.
A viewing for Sharon will be held at Holland and Lyons on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. A service will be held on Thursday, September 14, at Kern River Valley Cemetery in Wofford Heights at 10:00 a.m.
Sharon Lee Smith will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and all those whose lives she touched. May her memory be a blessing to all who knew her.