Opheim (nee Wilkening) Sharon Diane
Sharon died at home in Buffalo MN at age 80 on Apr 2 after a 3-month hospice and 23 yrs with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Sharon was born Feb 28 1940 to Walter and Mabel Wilkening of Wood Lake MN, the eighth of nine children. She was preceded in death by her parents and eight siblings.
Sharon married James (Jim) Opheim in 1963; Buffalo has been their home since 1975. Sharon worked in retail for many years, including Setterberg Jewelers, Cohen’s Clothing, and Bergstrom’s Home Furnishings in Buffalo. Volunteer work at Zion Lutheran Church has been a source of great joy and community for Sharon and Jim, particularly the Blessing Closet, Harvest of Hands, and the Greeters team.
Sharon was a talented gardener and cook, always bringing beauty, style, care, and love to her family, home, and community. She grew up babysitting her nieces and nephews, especially the Timms and the Kinneys, and loved them dearly throughout her life. She was a loving and fun mother who was always the first to go barefoot in the Spring, and taught all the kids how to do cartwheels. Sharon was a wonderful grandma to her 3 precious grandchildren, giving them the irreplaceable gift of boundless, steadfast love.
Sharon is survived by her husband of 57 years, Jim Opheim; daughters Kelly (Sean) Gordon, Kristin (Dave) Kruger, and Kari Opheim; grandchildren Dylan and Jenna Opheim and James Gordon; beloved sister-in-law Ann Hagen and brother-in-law Norman Opheim; and cherished nieces and nephews and their families.
The family thanks Buffalo Clinic, Monticello Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, Centra Care Hospice, and Jim and Sharon's wonderful friends and neighbors in Buffalo. Memorial donations may be made to Zion Lutheran Church or the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Funeral to be held at a later date.