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.

Latest News

East Canaan's CowPots to face the 'Sharks'

Amanda Freund of East Canaan will appear on the television show "Shark Tank" on April 4 to pitch CowPots.

Photo by Ruth Epstein

CANAAN — Fans of the television show “Shark Tank,” stay tuned. On Friday, April 4, Amanda Freund of East Canaan will be facing the panel, imploring members to invest in her unique product: cow poop.

Freund and her father Matthew Freund produce and market CowPots, which are made from the abundance of manure found on their dairy farm. Matthew Freund, realizing cows were producing more manure — 100 pounds per cow per day — than was needed for fertilizing fields for crops, came up with the concept of the pots. Years of trial-and-error experimentation finally resulted in success. In 2006 he began selling the biodegradable pots using 100% composted manure to local stores. Now the pots can be found in outlets across the country, as well as internationally.

Keep ReadingShow less
Hotchkiss lacrosse ices Kingswood Oxford 19-0

LAKEVILLE — The Hotchkiss School opened the girls varsity lacrosse season with a big win in the snow against Kingswood Oxford School.

The Bearcats won 19-0 in a decisive performance March 26. Twelve different players scored for Hotchkiss, led by Coco Sheronas with four goals.

Keep ReadingShow less
HVRHS releases second quarter honor roll

FALLS VILLAGE — Principal Ian Strever announces the second quarter marking period Honor Roll at Housatonic Valley Regional High School for the 2024-2025 school year.

Highest Honor Roll

Grade 9: Parker Beach (Cornwall), Mia Belter (Salisbury), Lucas Bryant (Cornwall), Addison Green (Kent), Eliana Lang (Salisbury), Alison McCarron (Kent), Katherine Money (Kent), Mira Norbet (Sharon), Abigail Perotti (North Canaan), Karmela Quinion (North Canaan), Owen Schnepf (Wassaic), Federico Vargas Tobon (Salisbury), Emery Wisell (Kent).

Keep ReadingShow less
Aimee Davis and Brian Crouse offer whole-person wellness in Millerton

Aimee Davis and Brian Crouse in their shared office space at 65 Main St. in Millerton.

Natalia Zukerman

‘We need to be touched, we need to be tended to, and we need to remember who we are and how we are actually doing,” said massage therapist Aimee Davis, her words echoing softly in the warmly lit loft of the space she shares with naturopathic doctor and acupuncturist, Brian Crouse, in Millerton. In a world that keeps us increasingly disconnected from our bodies, the healing practices of Davis and Crouse offer a sanctuary of care that integrates both physical and energetic restoration. They share a space and a mission of healing, one that embraces the complexity of the body, mind, and spirit.

Davis and Crouse both come from backgrounds rich with both experience and personal transformation. Their paths intersected in Millerton, where they now work alongside each other in a healing space that is as inviting and serene as their practices. At an early age, Davis was inspired by her parents’ work in science and medicine and at 18, she worked in a home for the mentally challenged, most of whom were chair-bound. “I realized then the obvious way that you can connect to another human even if they’re incapable of talking,” said Davis. A licensed massage therapist and intuitive healer, Davis has spent over two decades honing her craft in bodywork, energy healing, and coaching. Her work spans from deep tissue massage to Reiki, chakra balancing, and 4-dimensional healing. Yet, it’s the unique blending of these modalities that makes her approach so effective. “I prefer the mixed pot of whatever a person is, as opposed to just a sports massage or just an energy session,” said Davis, describing her belief in customizing healing practices to meet the distinct needs of every individual.

Keep ReadingShow less