Sharon Husted

Sharon Husted was a devoted wife, caring mother and loving grandmother. Her reserved nature and trusted character smoothed out life in a way that made “drama” unnecessary. She supported her family no matter what, and her home was a “constant” in the day-to-day living of their lives.

Sharon was born at a time when the United States was cautiously watching events unfold in Europe, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt was encouraging Americans with his Fireside Chats. Families had come through the challenges of economic depression with a strong work ethic and a determination to make life better for their children. One such family was Albert and Mildred (Nisonger) Avery of Edmore, Michigan. He worked at General Motors and she at the hospital in Carson City. They welcomed Sharon, the third of nine children, into their lives on September 12, 1940.

As young girls, Sharon and her sisters were called the “Avery Angels.” So named, they must have attracted the attention of teenaged boys in high school, because one young man dated two of the sisters. James Husted first showed an interest in Sharon’s sister before he began dating Sharon. The relationship between Jim and Sharon grew over a two-year period before he “popped the question.” In a romantic gesture one day, Jim drove out to a hay field where Sharon was working, took a ring out of his glove box and proposed on the spot. Though never given to strong emotion, Sharon was charmed, and the two married on September 13, 1958 at the Congregational Church in Maple Rapids, Michigan.

In Maple Rapids, Jim worked at Diamond Reo and at other shops in the area. Sharon had not continued her education beyond the 11th grade and made it her calling to build a home life for family. She was amazing at crocheting but didn’t particularly like to cook. Still, at all the local potlucks, she became known for her homemade macaroni and cheese and her crazy flavored cakes. She loved visiting and drinking coffee with her friends, June and Diane. She and friend Carol made batches and batches of Christmas candy every year, and the Husted Christmas tree was filled with ornaments Sharon had collected throughout the years, each one holding a cherished memory.

Sharon and Jim had four daughters to love and care for, and over the years, friend Kent Wieber became like a son to them. Sharon was fastidious and protective of her girls, from tying the tightest ponytails to insisting that they return from their dates by 10:00 PM. Whenever anyone left the house, Sharon would walk them to the porch and say, “Be Careful!!” Or if someone was heading off for bowling, she would chirp, “Bowl good!” As steady and predictable as those sayings were, Sharon was sure that, “If everyone liked the same thing, the world would be a boring place.”

Certainly, one intriguing family activity had to do with Jim’s side-job. He was a gravedigger for area cemeteries, and the entire family, including Sharon, learned how to dig graves and mow between the markers. That was anything but usual and was sure to provide an opening for a story or two.

When Sharon became a grandmother, she was delighted to share in her grandchildren’s lives. She babysat them regularly when they were young and attended many-a basketball game when they were in high school. On shopping trips, she treated her granddaughters to matching everything, from nail polish to Michael Jackson purses. The grandkids remember sledding down Grandma and Grandpa’s big hill and riding in their purple 1966 Jeep pick-up truck that Sharon had named “Betsy.” Sharon loved her grandchildren dearly, and is showed in the smile that graced her face when she was with them.

Sharon and Jim traveled extensively to visit their children and grandchildren, even to military bases where they were stationed. Though Sharon herself didn’t like driving in winter or in Lansing, she had to get excited about the city of Detroit if for only one reason: she had become a huge fan of Tigers’ baseball in the past five years, when they had generated a lot of hope for a championship.

Sharon passed away on Monday, June 4, 2012 at her home in Maple Rapids, Michigan. So much of family life centered on the assurance that Sharon was always there for them, that her husband, children and grandchildren will deeply miss her presence. Yet they will fondly remember all she meant to them and the legacy she leaves for them.

Sharon Husted, age 71, is survived by her husband James and her three daughters, Cheryl (Richard) Simpson, Janet Husted, Jamie Berry; nine grandchildren; seven great grandchildren; three sisters, Rose Griggs, Betty (Dan) Griggs, Violet Holloway; as well as four brothers, Jim (Mary) Avery, David (Judy) Avery, Richard (Kathy) Avery, Paul (Karen) Avery.

She was preceded in death by her parents; daughter, Roxanne Husted; son, James Husted, II; great granddaughter, Miranda Hackett; and sister Alberta Wise.

Funeral services will be 11:00 AM Wednesday, June 13, 2012 at the Osgood Funeral Home. Burial will follow the service at Payne Cemetery. Her family will receive friends 2-4 and 6-8 PM Tuesday at the Osgood Funeral Home in St. Johns. Sympathies may be expressed in the form of memorial contributions to a charity of her family’s choice.

To learn more about Sharon and view her Life Story film, visit her personal webpage at www.lifestorynet.com/memories/80974. Her family is being served by the Osgood Funeral Home.