Sharon Rae Mears

Sharon Rae Mears, 86, passed away peacefully of natural causes in her Anchorage home on 10/23/25 in the company of her loving children, daughter Tracy and son Troy. Mrs. Mears was born Sharon Rae Buringrud on February 15, 1939, and lived into her 16th year in the farming community of St. Ansgar, Iowa. As the youngest of seven children, Sharon was lovingly doted on by her older brothers and sisters, loyal friends and, of course, her parents Elsie (Baker) and Gaylen Buringrud. Sharon moved with her parents to Monterey California at age 16 where she graduated from Monterey High School. Her parents then traveled to and settled in Fairfield California where Sharon began her long career as a bookkeeper, an occupation she continued throughout her life.

It was in Fairfield where Sharon met the love of her life, Wayne Mears, an Air Force Serviceman. After a short courtship, Wayne and Sharon were married on 6/20/1959 and soon started a family; first with son Troy (7/16/1962) and then Tracy (11/20/1963). Sharon and her young family embraced the adventures of military life. They spent years traveling to military bases around the world, including Europe and Asia. Sharon devoted much of her time to domestic life, raising her two young children, running the household, and supporting her husband who continued to serve the United States Airforce until his retirement at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield California in the mid 1970's. Sharon's family then settled comfortably in Fairfield where she had resumed her career as a bookkeeper while continuing to raise her children and maintain the Mears household.

It would be impossible to characterize Sharon's life without including her husband, Wayne. While individuals in beliefs, attitude, disposition and demeanor, they were together as one in life - living it as partners; independent but interconnected. Sharon was a loving, but strong-minded and independent woman who maintained her autonomy throughout her life. While her life is her own story, it is very much her and her husband Wayne's story, as well.

In 1988, Sharon and Wayne moved to West Point, California as empty nesters. They custom built a lovely home on land designed for horses and spent the next 9 years enjoying life in the Sierra Mountains surrounded by the rugged forest. They spent their time horseback riding, hunting, fishing, visiting their neighbors, and enjoying the animals they adopted, both domestic and wild including dogs, cats, horses, deer, a domesticated wolf, etc. Life in West Point was not to last, however. The pull of family was too strong. "North to the Future' to a new adventure in Alaska took them to their children in 1997. However, while they loved their children dearly, they did not love the big city life of Anchorage and chose instead the small-town rural feel of a homesite several miles down Fishhook Road outside Palmer, Alaska. Sharon said it reminded her of a Swiss village with snow-capped mountains surrounding a quaint village. Of course, they continued to surround themselves with adopted and rescued pets. Suzie, Trapper and Dylan couldn't have been more different, and more the same - all in need of a safe home filed with love and tolerance - and indulgences from the dinner table. Sharon continued her bookkeeping for select clients. She was a talented artist and enjoyed oil painting landscapes, portraits and ocean scenes to share with friends and family. Wayne maintained the house and yard, talked on his HAM radio, and generally banged around their two-acre parcel.

Ten years passed quickly in Palmer and they grew older. After many enjoyable years of living a remote lifestyle, the property became too difficult to manage and so after a brief time living in Sultan, Washington, Sharon and Wayne moved back to Alaska and closer to Palmer proper where their lives continued at a more leisurely pace. Their social life was rich and varied. Sharon paired her business down to just a long-time client or two while Wayne tortured himself on the nearby golf course. Sharon and Wayne found a common love in the game of golf, playing together and with others often. They made many friends in and around the Palmer City course. Sharon played weekly with her girl's group followed by lunch or dinner while Wayne marshalled and played with the men's group once a week. They also played in a mixed league as well.

Sadly, Sharon's husband and life-long partner Wayne passed away unexpectedly in January of 2018. Sharon's grief was comforted by her faith in God and by the support of her family and friends. She accepted an offer from her daughter to live together to ease Sharon's loneliness and so they moved into a home together in 2020. Sharon and Tracy spent the next five years living together and, during this time, Sharon maintained her social network, continued to visit friends and family and had the opportunity to be involved in the lives of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Sharon was also content to read and crochet baby blankets and other prized items for the family. Of course, her pets Buddy, Max, and Sammy were always curled up close by. It also allowed for more quality time with her daughter. They traveled together, enjoyed multiple cruises together, and spent many, many hours visiting and playing board games at home.

Sharon accepted the end of her life the way she lived it - with stoicism and faith in God above all else. She told her daughter that she had lived a charmed life, was well loved by everyone in her life, had done amazing things and had tremendous experiences, had born wonderful children, and had a great love in her husband and spectacular friends. She was very sociable and loved visiting with others. She loved music. She loved cars. She had a great faith in her Lord and Savior and was unafraid to move on. She also was surely comforted with thoughts of her family as her legacy - a living and perpetual celebration of her life.

Sharon was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Wendell Buringrud, Dean Buringrud, Harold Buringrud, and Galen Buringrud; her sister Elaine Winemiller, and many other relatives. A memorial will be held at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church on November 16th at 4pm.

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