Obituary of Sharon Lee Thompson

Sharon Lee Thompson passed away peacefully on Friday, December 10, 2021 in Kensington, Maryland. She was 78 years old.

Sharon was born on November 1, 1943 in Camden, New Jersey to parents Clifford and Rose Cunningham. She grew up in Pennsauken, New Jersey with her older sister, Pat, and her younger brother, Donnie. She graduated from Pennsauken High School and went on to be the first person in her family to graduate from college – graduating from Marietta College in Ohio.

Sharon returned to New Jersey after college, where she worked in insurance and other fields. She met her husband, Ken Thompson, at a pool party in Parsippany. After getting married in 1983, Sharon and Ken moved to Mendham, NJ, where they lived for the next several decades. Sharon took time off from working to care for Ken, their two children, and later the much-loved family dog, Chip. She returned to work in 2003 at The Peck School. She retired in 2014 and spent her final years in Washington, DC and Kensington, Maryland.

Sharon was a friendly, outgoing, and lively person, who made friends everywhere she went. She loved to entertain, threw a great party, and especially loved to dance. She loved the arts generally – reading, music, traveling, cooking, and Sudoku. She was a passionate Jane Austen superfan as an active member of the Jane Austen Society of North America – her favorite novel was Persuasion. She loved to travel, and did so with friends and family and even traveled on her own several times. She loved to play and watch tennis, and especially to cheer on Roger Federer and Serena Williams. She loved going to the theater and shows, and was a longtime patron of the New York City Ballet and The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. She gave back to her community, and volunteered with the Morristown Presbyterian Church, the Morris County Parks, Mansion in May, and Morris Arts, among other activities. Even when Alzheimer’s robbed her of her memories in the final years, her love of music, dancing, friendliness, and desire to help everyone shone through.

Sharon was predeceased by her beloved husband, Ken, in 1998, brother Donnie, and sister Pat. She is survived by her daughter, Chelsea, son Jason; and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held on Friday, December 17, from 5-8pm at Bailey Funeral Home,8 Hilltop Road, Mendham NJ.  A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, December 18, at 10:00am in the funeral home.  Interment to follow at Hilltop Cemetery, 18 Hilltop Road in Mendham.  Donations in her memory may be made to the Alzheimer's Association or St. Hubert's Animal Shelter.