Sharon Counts

Sharon Counts Battle Creek Sharon Anne (Evans) Counts, 63, of Battle Creek, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, August 28, 2008. Sharon was born on May 13, 1943 in Macomb, Illinois to David L. Evans and Helen (Yatalese) Evans. She was married on November 13, 1965 in Ypsilanti, MI to Brian Paul Counts. Sharon moved often in her childhood due to her father's jobs in sales for the Kellogg Company. She attended Lakeview Junior and Senior schools through her sophomore year and graduated from Terry Parker High school in Jacksonville, Florida. She returned to Battle Creek to attend Kellogg Community College, where she met her husband. She was formerly employed by Beneficial Finance, Zales Jewelers and retired from Rite Aid Drug. Sharon was an avid balloonist who owned her own balloon and allowed her husband to fly it for her after back problems sidetracked her pilot training. She was chairperson of the host family and crews committee for the Battle Creek Balloon Championships for eleven years. She was a founding member and the very first secretary of the Battle Creek Balloon Club. Sharon especially enjoyed attending University of Michigan football Games with her husband and best friend, and held season tickets for over thirty years. Sharon was the kind of person who would always put others needs above her own. She made trips to Florida for two weeks a month for over a year to take care of her father at his home in Atlantic Beach outside of Jacksonville prior to his death. She was dearly loved by all the numerous people whose lives she touched, and had balloonist friends all over the U.S. and overseas. She is survived by her husband of nearly 43 years, Brian Paul Counts; a son, Scott Allen Counts; a daughter, Cory Dian Counts of Jacksonville, NC; her grandchildren who were the lights of her life: granddaughters Casey, Cayla, and Chelsey Counts, and grandsons Drew Counts and Trey Warden; and very special friend, Vaughn Thomas Gresly. She was preceded in death by her parents. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at the Royal Funeral Home in Battle Creek from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 at the funeral home with entombment at Memorial Park to follow. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society. The winds have welcomed you with softness The sun has blessed you with its warm hands You have flown so high and so well that God Has joined you in your laughter and has Welcomed you home with his loving arms