Sharon Ruth (Smith) Mills, 75 of Reno, Nevada, passed away on January 4, 2023. Sharon was born in Turlock, California on February 2, 1947, Groundhog Day, to John and Marjorie Smith. Sharon attended school in Turlock, graduating from Turlock High School in 1965. Sharon remained active with her class social group until her passing. Growing up Sharon was active in the youth group at the First United Methodist Church and a member of Jobs Daughters. Sharon attended Modesto Junior College while working in a local doctor’s office.
Sharon met Leon Mills in Turlock, after being introduced by her grandparents, David and Ruth Schendel. Sharon and Leon married in June 1967, and after their marriage moved to Biloxi, Mississippi, where Leon was serving in the United States Air Force. Sharon and Leon were then reassigned to Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, Louisiana. Sharon and Leon embraced the southern lifestyle and made many lifelong friends during their time in Louisiana.
Sharon and Leon returned to California in the fall of 1970. Sharon started her professional career working at the Giddings Mortgage Company and then Weyerhaeuser Mortgage before becoming office manager and assistant to the President for Assemi Development, residential builders in Fresno, California. In 1998, Leon accepted an engineering management position in Reno, Nevada, and Sharon reluctantly followed. At the beginning of 1999, Sharon accepted the position of Assistant to the President at Dermody Properties, a national developer of large industrial warehouses and later also became the office manager. Sharon retired at the end of 2017 after she was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s. In early 2020, Sharon became a resident of Fernley Estates Memory Care Unit and lived there until her passing. Sharon’s stuffed black and white cat “Stretch” was her comfort and she was seldom seen without it. The real live Stretch still resides with Leon.
Sharon’s retirement allowed her to spend more time gardening and growing wildflowers. Sharon had a
lifelong love for California poppies. She often made special trips home to work in her mother’s yard.
Sharon enjoyed traveling and made memorable trips to Europe with Leon and her mom, a trip up and down Highway 1, and a hot air balloon ride with her mother and sister. Sharon and Leon have been members of the Horseless Carriage Club of America for 50 years and enjoyed many tours. Sharon loved to spend time with her nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and nephews.
Sharon was preceded in death by her father. Sharon is survived by her husband, Leon Mills of Reno, NV, mother Marjorie Smith of Turlock, CA, brother Jack Smith (GayLynn) of Yerington, NV, sister Vicki Corgiat (Chuck) of Turlock, CA, brother-in-law Larry Mills of Atwater, CA, sister-in-law Judy Beighe (Bill) of Salt Lake City, UT. She is also survived by 3 nieces, 2 nephews, 14 great nieces and nephews, and 1 soon to be born great great nephew.
Cremation was handled by The Gardens Funeral Home in Fallon, NV and there will be no public service.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association in Sharon’s name.
