Sharon D. Alther

Sharon D. Alther

SHARON — Sharon D. (Smith) Alther, 77, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, at Sharon Health Care Center.

Born in Bronxville, New York on Dec. 1, 1946, to Dr. Stuart Bertine Smith and Ruth E. (MacMonigle) Smith, Sharon, graduated from Eastchester High School in 1964, and married her high school sweetheart, Roger, in 1966.

Sharon moved with her husband and young son to Los Angeles, California in 1970. After many years spent raising her son, Rick, and daughter, Kristin, and being a beloved teacher’s aide in her children’s classrooms at Melrose Avenue Elementary School, Sharon and family relocated to El Cajon, California in 1979. There, Sharon put herself through nursing school where she graduated at the top of her class. After earning her LPN, she worked at Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa, California.

In 1984, Sharon and her family moved back east to her beloved Pine Grove in Falls Village where she worked at Parkside Lodge (now Mountainside), an addictions recovery center, for many years. Thereafter, Sharon worked at Ann’s Nursery for Babies in Norfolk and Noble Horizons Assisted Living in Salisbury, helping to care for the most vulnerable. She was also a dedicated volunteer EMT for North Canaan Volunteer Ambulance Corp. (NCVAC) for 20 years. During her tenure with NCVAC, she twice earned the President’s Award for outstanding service.

Sharon’s biggest passion was her family. It was important to her to always bring family together for special occasions. She was thoughtful and generous to a fault when it came to her children and grandchildren, her mission being to make birthdays and holidays as memorable as possible.

Sharon is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Richard and Shannon Alther of Woodbury, Connecticut, and grandsons Ryan and David; and her daughter and son-in-law, Kristin and Joseph Murphy of Clifton Park, New York and grandsons Declan and Liam.

Sharon also never met an animal she didn’t like. While she had a menagerie of various pets throughout her life, including dogs, birds, and guinea pigs, she always had at least two cats who almost all lived amazingly long lives. Proof of Mom’s love!

Calling hours will be Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m at Newkirk-Palmer Funeral Home at 118 Main St, Canaan CT.

In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial contributions to North Canaan Ambulance Corps, P.O. Box 178, 15 North Main St, Canaan, CT 06018 or the Veterinary Care Foundation (www.veterinarycarefoundation.org/). Please make sure to select Sand Road Animal Hospital LLC (Falls Village), who lovingly tended to mom’s pets for many years. Many heartfelt thanks to the staff of the dementia care unit at Sharon Health Care Center, who lovingly cared for our mother for nearly ten years.

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