Sharen Oldham

Sharen Tufts Oldham

Our beloved mother, grandmother, sister and friend, Sharen Tufts Oldham, aged 76, passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by loved ones on September 7, 2020. Those who were blessed to know and love Sharen will miss her warm smile and infectious laugh, but we are grateful to know that she is now Home after a life that can only be described as a “Job Well-Done.”

Sharen was born on March 19, 1944 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Mabel May Tufts and was later adopted by and sealed to her father, Karl Edward Tufts. Sharen spent her younger years living in various homes across the Wasatch Front.

Sharen met and fell in love with a young college student, her eternal soul mate and partner, Leon Oldham. They were sealed for time and all eternity on June 8, 1964 and spent the next 42 years at one another’s side, supporting and loving one another as they built their family and lives together as parents, partners, and life-long best friends. Sharen and Leon are a match made in Heaven, spending a lifetime making one another better. While we will miss Sharen deeply, our hearts are comforted knowing that Sharen and Leon are now together and will continue their adventures by one another’s side.

Sharen was a devoted and faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was the embodiment of Christ like service, enthusiastically embracing many callings, including serving in Relief Society presidencies, the Ward Library, as a Girls Camp coordinator and Scout Den Mother. Her loving example of service sprung from her strong testimony and conviction of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She never turned down an opportunity to serve.

As with everything she endeavored to accomplish, Sharen served others with passion and compassion, seeking out opportunities to bring a smile and laughter those who seemed to need it most. She was a friend to all, a mother to many, seeking and finding countless opportunities to make the lives of those around her simply better. In recent weeks, she could be found spending hours on end sewing masks to donate to neighbors, friends, family and even perfect strangers. Her kind smile and love of laughter were contagious, filling the darkest of rooms with light, joy and fun. Sharen held a deep love and appreciation for creativity and art. She spent countless hours creating the most magical of environments for her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, making baby quilts, hosting overnight parties with too much junk food, watching movies, creating Pixie Villages and painting.

Sharen possessed the unique desire and willingness not only to learn and improve, but to teach others improved the lives of many. She was not only the epitome of a resolute and strong woman, but she was also strong-willed and determined to obtain and nurture talents, which so many of us found inspiring. She loved working throughout her life both inside and outside the home, where she painted caricatures at Lagoon and loved her job at Mervyns. On any given day, she could be found painting, sewing, quilting, baking her famous sugar cookies, making jam and gardening. When she found a talent, she had not yet pursued, her stubborn and resilient spirit seemed to kick it into high gear and she would embrace the challenge get to work learning something new.

Sharen’s love of art and learning was only surpassed by her deep devotion and adoration for her family. Nothing brought a smile to her face more quickly than the laughter of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all of whom can’t help but smile remembering and reflecting on Sharen’s legacy of kindness, Christ like service, and gentle sense of humor.

Sharen in survived by her siblings, Morris Allen (Ardith) Tufts, Forrest “Frosty” Tufts, twin sister Karen Palsgraf, Lois (Barry) Grant, four children Troy (Lois) Oldham, Shauna (Steve) Clingenpeel, Angela (Rick) Peterson, Karena (Kathleen) Santillanes, eight grandchildren, and three great-grands, with one on the way!

Sharen is preceded in death by the love of her life, Leon Oldham. As well as her parents, Mable and Karl Tufts, Her brothers Leeward Dahle (Shirley) Tarbet and Karl “Duke” (Janet) Tufts and her son-in-law Steven.

Funeral services for the family will be held Saturday, September 12, 2020 at 11 a.m. at the Kaysville 18th Ward, 1085 N. 50 E., Kaysville, Utah, 84037.  Friends may visit family Saturday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the church.

Masks will be required to attend any and all portions of the day.

Services entrusted to Lindquist’s Layton Mortuary, 1867 No. Fairfield Road.

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