Sharon Louise Schlapia was born on April 21, 1943 in Basin, Wyoming to Albert Schlapia and Elizabeth Katherine Matisheck Schlapia. Due to divorce, Sharon grew up with two families. Her father, Albert married Delois Brock and together they had Sharon’s siblings: Janis Mizelle (and her son, Brian Mizelle), Phylis Swearingen, Florence Wilson, and Dan Schlapia., Her mother, Katherine married Muriel Lindquist and had Sharon’s siblings: Idris Kay Brooke, Charles Dennis Lindquist, and Deborah Sue Lindquist. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews from both families. Sharon was predeceased by her mother and father and their spouses as well as her siblings Kay and Charlie.

Sharon contracted polio when she was one year old and it caused some health complications that she carried throughout her lifetime. In 1985, Sharon had a double mastectomy due to cancer and took two years of chemotherapy treatments after the surgery. Sharon had her share of health issues during her lifetime (heart, diabetes, right knee severely damaged but could not be repaired due to dialysis) but she kept on going and doing.

After her father was discharged from the service, they moved to Carrollton, MO. Sharon was three years old when her parents divorced and she traveled by train from Carrollton MO to La Plata each time she saw her mother and family up until age eleven. Her father had custody of Sharon during that time in which her Aunt Goldie (father’s sister) took care of her most of the time until approximately age six. She was a good strong influence for Sharon. Sharon learned a good work ethic during her early years. Sharon worked many jobs during her lifetime, she detasseled corn, worked at a restaurant, at the dime store in Kirksville, and worked three years in the college library while attending there. During the first ten years of teaching, she was only paid ten months out of the year and during the summer months she would work at factories to make her college loan payments and living expenses.

Sharon attended elementary school (K-5) at Root School in Carrollton. Sixth and seventh grade were in Hurdland Elementary school. She graduated eighth grade from Love Valley rural school near La Plata. Sharon Graduated from La Plata High School with the class of 1961. She attended Kirksville State Teacher’s College and graduated in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science degree in education. She also worked on her Masters at University of Missouri. Sharon taught for thirty-four years in two separate schools during her career. She started out in Ravanna school – junior high through high school for twelve years. She then taught for twenty-two years at Knox County R-I High School. Sharon taught many subjects throughout her career with Home Economics being her main focus of education to the students.

Also her extracurricular activities included coaching basketball, softball, and cheerleading. She was also the sponsor for Future Homemakers of America where she attended many state and national conventions during her career. She had a strong influence on her students during those years. She traveled a lot for these conferences/conventions and some of her travels included: Washington D.C. (4 time), Los Angeles (2 times), San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Dallas, Atlanta, and Boston. This was not only a great experience for her students but also for their advisor! Sharon held special memories of her time with the students and the joy it brought to her life.

Sharon was honored at the State FHA leadership conference in Columbia, MO on June 2, 1988 and recognized with a Certificate of Appreciation which was inscribed: Sharon Schlapia – Distinguished Service Award as an expression of appreciation for your outstanding support of Future Homemakers of America and your faith in the goals and efforts of the youth engaged in this program.” Sharon was extremely proud of producing one national officer, six state officers, thirty plus regional officers and many, many local officers.

Sharon was also very involved with community activities such as Knox County Relay for Life as a Team Leader for ten years and developed displays for eight years, volunteered for Kirksville Area Habitat for Humanity for ten years being a board member for eight – working on three different houses. She was a member of the Business and Professional Women for several years in Princeton, Missouri. She also served as a youth leader for a local church.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in the Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home in Edina, MO. Visitation will begin at Tuesday 10 a.m. and services will begin at 11 a.m. at the funeral home. Pastor Brian Burton will officiate the services. Burial will be in Park View Memorial Gardens in Kirksville, MO.

Music will be provided by Audrey Hamlin, Debbie Peters and Ed Anderson.

Casket bearers will be Roger Waibel, Jeff Hamlin, Kent Hagerla, David Hamlin, Billy Hunter and Steve Golden.

Memorials are suggested to the Knox County Nutrition Site or the Edina Assembly Of God Church. Memorials may be left at or mailed to Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home, P.O. Box 1, Edina, MO 63537.