Sharon Welch Callaghan Born January 19, 1938; died November 14, 2016.
Sharon spent her early years at Welchwold, the family farm in Deer Grove, Illinois. She attended St. Mary’s school in Sterling and later moved to Winnetka, where she graduated from New Trier High School. Sharon received a scholarship to attend Manhattanville College and graduated from Barat College of the Sacred Heart. She received a Masters in Teaching from McGaw Graduate School and a PhD in Education Administration and Policy Studies from Northwestern University.
Sharon spent a number of years in education. She served as a director for the Head Start program in the late 60s, and later as a Principal of the Center for Human Potential, which was one of the first behavioral disorder programs in Illinois. Sharon started the Barat Project, a college access program for unwed mothers, in conjunction with Barat College. She was a Director and Officer of the Crowder Scientific Company in the 1980s.
Sharon spent the last two decades back on the family farm in Deer Grove. She served as music coordinator at St. Mary Church in Tampico for more than 20 years, was a president of the Christian Women’s Club and of the Deer Grove Town & Country Club, and was a member of the Phidian Art Club.
Sharon was preceded in death by her parents, loving partner Norman Crowder, sister Jeanne, and granddaughter Jessica Chapman. She is survived by siblings John (Mary) Welch and Patrick (Gerry) Welch; her children Katie Callaghan(Tony Parker) of Seattle, WA, Stephen (Anne) Callaghan of Racine, WI, and Mary Margaret Callaghan of Chicago; grandchildren Tim Callaghan, Patrick Crowder, Margo Parker, and Lucas Parker; great-granddaughter Jessica Paige; and many other loving relatives.
Visitation will be held on Friday, November 18, 2016, from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. at the McDonald Funeral Home, 1002 12th Avenue in Rock Falls. Visitation also will take place on Saturday from 9:00 – 9:45 a.m. at St. Mary Catholic Church in Tampico. Celebration of the Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10:00 a.m. in the church with the Reverend Richard Russo, Celebrant officiating. Burial will conclude at St. Mary Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to memorial masses, St. Mary’s Church in Tampico, or Hospice of the Rock River Valley.