Sharon Burnham

Sharon Burnham

AGE: 68 • Laguna Niguel, CA

Sharon Burnham, 68, of Laguna-Niguel, formerly of Monmouth Beach, NJ and Livermore, CA died Monday, Sept. 9, 2013, after a year-long battle with cancer. Born to the late Carl and Evelyn Tomeoni, on Jan. 9, 1945, in southern California, she was happily bi-coastal and a beach lover, living alternately in California and on the Jersey shore. There she spent 35 years with the love of her life, the late Stanley ("Lee") Burnham. She was loved by many for her joy of life, generosity and readiness to lend a hand at a time of need. In keeping with Sharon's love of life and talent for friendship, the Burnhams loved to entertain and enjoyed a rich social life. Lee and Sharon also traveled a fair amount including a trip to her father's birthplace in Italy, which was her happiest memory.

Wherever she lived Sharon was involved in her community and had an abundance of wonderful, caring friends. In New Jersey, she was active in the remodeling of the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank. She served as Executive Director of the Monmouth Conservation Foundation, which is dedicated to preserving open space and preserving natural resources in Monmouth County. She also worked at the Two River Times in the early 90's.

In Livermore, CA, she served for years as the Executive Director of the Tri-Valley Conservancy, which was dedicated to preserving open space and vineyards from encroaching development. Sharon always dreamed of retiring on the coast in California where she was raised. When she retired from the Conservancy in 2011, she moved to Laguna-Niguel, where she lived out her remaining years.

She is survived by two children, Carla Goodyear of Scottsdale, AZ, and David Seifert of Discovery Bay, CA; as well as five grandchildren, Christi Mason, Tyler Seifert, Alyssa Seifert, Cole Goodyear, and Kendall Goodyear.

Friends may visit the Sharon Lyn Burnham page at www.caringbridge.org. The family requests that donations be made to the American Cancer Society in lieu of flowers.