Sharon (Barese) Hamilton

LAKEVILLE — Sharon (Barese) Hamilton, 75, of Lakeville—loving mother, grandmother, sister, and aunt—passed away on July 15, 2024, after a brief and sudden illness.

Born in Mount Kisco, New York, on Feb. 20, 1949, the daughter of Salvatore E. Barese and Irene Rose (Erdos) Barese, Sharon attended Danbury schools and lived and worked in Danbury before relocating to Lakeville in 2001.

Among her many professional accomplishments, she served as Purchasing Agent for the City of Danbury after placing first on the Civil Service exam for the position, and later as the president of the Public Purchasing Association of Connecticut and on the National Board of Directors of the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing. She was the founder and publisher of Women’s Forum Magazine, a monthly magazine written and illustrated by women to promote women, encourage their personal and professional growth, and lobby for important legislative changes that affect women in the workforce.

A life-long advocate for women’s rights and lover of the arts, Sharon volunteered for, and sat on the board of, many community organizations over the course of her life, including the David M. Hunt Library, the Women’s Center of Greater Danbury and the Charles Ives Center for the Arts. She was an original member of First Night Danbury and an active member and avid supporter of the Danbury Downtown Council and the downtown business community, as well as a member of Danbury’s Commission on the Status of Women.

Sharon was a multi-talented creative with a brilliant mind who could speak intelligently on many subjects. She was a skilled seamstress, a baker, an accomplished knitter and artist, selling her blankets, bags, prints and other wares at local artisan and craft fairs. She loved traveling with her family and took many trips that included four generations, including her beloved grandson, Jack.
Sharon is survived by daughters Dana Lemay of Lakeville and Jennifer Otto of Danbury, grandson Jack Lemay of Lakeville, siblings Nancy Barese, Kathi Heering, and Richard Barese, all of Danbury; and David Barese of New Milford, as well as many beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins. She is predeceased by her parents and two sisters, Dorene and Barbara.

An outspoken advocate for causes near and dear to her, and a great support and companion to her friends and family, Sharon’s loving and joyful presence will be forever remembered and greatly missed.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024 at the White Hart Inn in Salisbury from 2 to 4 p.m.