Sharon Ruth Nielsen Tangaro
Friday, May. 20, 2016
Sharon Ruth “Rudy” Nielsen Tangaro, wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother died May 5, 2016.
Sharon was born in Salt Lake City on April 24, 1952 to Jack and Josephine Nielsen, the fifth of eight children.
She won a 6th-grade raffle for a week of free accordion lessons and developed a love for it, inheriting her grandfather’s accordion.
She attended Hillcrest High School, where her love of fashion was sparked. Sharon was a skilled seamstress, making many of her clothes; a trait she learned from her mother. The Nielsen Clan may have had an economic burden, but they were rich in love, valued family and were hard workers.
Sharon relied on her family when she became a young mother. Her sisters helped raise her son Rick when she had to work; they were her best friends and they enjoyed many nights playing spades and Monopoly. Her sisters revealed she used soup cans as hair rollers and she bought trendy exercise equipment, including a blow up sweatsuit she wore for hours.
Sharon met the love of her life and best friend, David, working at the Black Bull. They dated four years, married in 1977, and bought their first home in Midvale. They loved traveling, going to dinner and dancing. They had two daughters.
Sharon was a devoted, fun and hard-working mother who put her children first. She sacrificed many things to send them to private school. She was thrilled to take her girls on the biggest roller coaster rides, camping trips, and mother-daughter dates with her sister and niece.
Sharon loved her granddaughters and couldn’t wait for their next visit. She enjoyed being outdoors, listening to music and discussing new recipes. Sharon was beautiful, modest, admired, compassionate, fashionable, supportive, determined and strong willed.
We will sorely miss her companionship, early-morning phone calls, and her unique vocabulary we’ve coined “Sharonese” that led to many belly laughs. We will cherish and hold on to her memory forever. Rest and enjoy the fresh air.
She leaves behind her husband of 38 years; children Rick, Natalie (Dylan), and Christen (James); granddaughters Ariyana and Talisa; great-granddaughters Alayna and Penelope; parents; siblings JoAnn, Kenny, Jane, Dick, Etzy, Cindy, and Tammy; brother-in-law Sonny Tangaro (Kathy), and many extended family members.
We want to thank the staff at St. Mark’s Hospital and CNS Hospice for their compassionate care.
A private family vigil was held at Starks Funeral Parlor.
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