Sharon-Ann Buckley

SHARON-ANN BUCKLEY  
Died at her home in Sharon, CT surrounded by her family, December 30, 2011. She was born in 1927, the daughter of Victor and Helen Cooley, grew up in Rye, N.Y., and graduated from Manhatttanville, College in 1949. After two years with the CIA, she married James L. Buckley, raised six children and participated in parish work and sports. She spent most of the years from 1971 until 2000 in Washington, D.C. where her husband served in various government positions. While there, she was active in D.C. Hospice and Education for Parish service programs. In 2006 she was in a car accident that left her a quadriplegic. She determined that she had been given a mission: to demonstrate that one can accept the consequences of such an accident and make the most of her life, without complaint. That she did and she affected many lives by her example. She is survived by her husband of 58 years, her daughter Priscilla Buckley (Valbonne France), sons Peter (New Canaan, CT), Jay (Bristol, RI), Bill (Bozeman, MT), David (Arlington, VA), Andrew (Sommerville, MA), her sisters Kay Cooley (Medford, NJ) and Helen Reilly (Flatrock, NC), her brother Richard (Seattle, WA) and eight grandchildren. Her funeral mass will be at St. Bernard's Church, New Street, Sharon CT at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, January 4. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made either to St. Bernard's Church or the Christopher Reeves Foundation, 636 Morris Turnpike, Ste 3A, Short Hills, NJ 07078.