Sharon (Humpherys) Sanderson

Sharon Sanderson passed away peacefully, at her daughter’s home in Frenchtown, Montana, with both of her daughters at her side. 

                Sharon was born in Afton, Wyoming to Dean and Neva Humpherys, the 2nd oldest of nine brothers and sisters.  She grew up in Etna, Wyoming milking cows and helping with family chores on the farm.  Sharon loved playing fastpitch softball and was the star pitcher on her church and school teams.  She continued that passion once she moved to Missoula and was written up in the local newspaper many times as the winning pitcher.

                Sharon graduated from Afton High School and married William Dean Healea, who was in the Air Force stationed in Charleston, South Carolina.  Their first daughter, Kim, was born in Charleston.  Sharon was a clerk at a furniture store and said at the time you could buy an entire house full of furniture for two hundred dollars.  After Bill’s discharge from the service, they moved to Missoula, Montana where their second daughter, Pam, was born in 1962.  Bill was a pilot, and the family sometimes flew together on vacations.  Sharon decided she needed to know how to fly as well and earned her pilots license in 1969.  The couple later divorced but remained friends throughout the years.

                Sharon continued to raise her daughters in Missoula, where she worked as the front desk manager at the Holiday Inn and later waitressing at the Montana Mining Company. 

                She met Bob Sanderson and the couple married in 1980 and combined their two families.  Bob and Sharon left Missoula and moved back to Etna.  They bought The Etna Trading Company which was home to the post office, small grocery store, and antique store.  Sharon and Bob loved buying and selling antiques.  Many nieces and nephews loved visiting Aunt Sharon and Uncle Bob and working in the store.

                Sharon and Bob later retired and made their home in Afton, Wyoming.  Their home bordered a park, and they loved sitting on their deck watching wildlife and bird watching.  Sharon’s favorite was watching hundreds of hummingbirds feed on their hummingbird feeders throughout the summer.

                After Bob’s passing, Sharon moved to Frenchtown, Montana to live with Pam and Ray.  Sharon loved to make the trips to South Dakota where she enjoyed watching her granddaughter and great grandchildren play sports and rodeo.

                Sharon was a wonderful mother, daughter, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend to all who knew her.  Sharon’s sister-in-law said, “Every family should have at least five Sharon’s.”  She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

                Sharon is preceded in death by her husband, Robert Sanderson, her father Dean and mother Neva Humpherys, her brothers, Johnny, Robert, Ray and infant brother Gordon Ray, and her son-in-law Raymond Brayton.  She is survived by daughters Kim (Bryan) Maas, and Pam Brayton, stepsons Jeff (Sandra) Dow and Robert Jr. (Sam) Sanderson, stepdaughters Teresa Sanderson and Amy Sanderson, sisters Nadean Cassell and Florence (Larry) Parker, brothers Ken (Myrna) Humpherys, Gerald (Tena) Humpherys, and Newell (Sally) Humpherys, granddaughter, Mandy (Chris) Williams, great grandchildren, Sawyer and Sophia Williams as well as many nieces and nephews.

                The funeral service is Saturday, April 1st, 2023, with viewing at 10:00 AM and service at 11:00 AM.  Meal to follow at the Etna LDS Church.