Sharon Boyajian

1939 - 2020

Sharon Boyajian

Phoenix - Sharon Boyajian, 80, of Phoenix, AZ, passed away peacefully on Sunday, April 12, 2020, at home. A friend and clergyman, upon hearing the news, offered the uplifting words that, "Rising to new life on Easter Day is powerful!"

Sharon was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota in October, 1939 to Thomas and Irene Krizan. She attended Edina High School and the University of Minnesota. Sharon met Bob Boyajian at Combined Insurance Company in Minneapolis and they wed in May of 1960. Throughout Bob's long career at Combined, Sharon was his biggest supporter, often traveling with him and joining him on stage at national sales meetings.

As newlyweds, Sharon and Bob lived in Chicagoland and started a family. They later moved to Virginia, where they supported the Heart Foundation, and enjoyed good times with friends at the Westwood Racquet and Heritage Country Clubs. In 1978, they moved back to Illinois, where they lovingly restored a beautiful historic home, enjoyed gardening, supporting the symphony and charitable causes, and entertaining. In search of warmer weather, they settled in Arizona in 1992. Here, Sharon loved being a part of a women's investment club, garden club, and the Paradise Valley Country Club. She also enjoyed welcoming snowbird friends in the Fall and her children and grandchildren as often as they could visit. She loved seeing them enjoy the pool, explore the desert environment and experience the southwestern culture. Everywhere Sharon and Bob lived they built enduring friendships, and have appreciated the outpouring of love and support during her challenging fight with cancer.

Sharon's family and friends will miss her kindness, thoughtfulness, and enthusiasm for being together. Sharon had an exceptional gift for connecting with people. She had a vast and rich memory for all of her experiences and those of her family and friends, leaving everyone who knew her to feel joy that they had a place in her mind and heart. She will be remembered as a true beauty, inside and out, the epitome of grace, ultimate entertainer, impeccable decorator, attentive gardener and fabulous cook.

Sharon is survived by her devoted husband of 59 years, Bob; her loving daughters, Dana Boyajian (Thomas) Lutz and Michelle Boyajian (Todd) Curry; her adoring grandchildren, Steven (Bobby) Boyajian, Jr., Julian (JJ) Boyajian, Charlotte Lutz, Morgan Lutz, Margot Curry, Laurel Curry, and Thomas Curry; her sisters, Melanie Chambers and Kathy Miller; and her nephews and nieces. Sharon was preceded in death by her son, Steven Robert Boyajian, and grandson, Christian Alexander Boyajian.

A private internment will be held in the coming days, and a celebration of Sharon's life will take place at a future date when we can all gather together.