SHARON YVETTE LIRA

1971 - 2021

Our daughter and sister, Sharon Yvette Lira, passed away on February 19, 2021 from complications with her thyroid. Sharon was born in Brawley on September 24, 1971, and was known by her friends and family as Princess, Sharon, Sharona, and Shar. Sharon had a passion for sharks, photography, Bible study, and spending time with her family. Sharon graduated from BUHS in 1989 and moved to San Diego with her friends. She lived in many places over the years, including San Diego, San Francisco, Novato, and Sacramento in California, and Fayetteville in North Carolina. She had a variety of careers, from working at radio stations (92.5 in Sacramento, CA and Curtis Media Group in Raleigh-Durham, NC), to working with Lifetouch Photography in Fayetteville, NC. After living in North Carolina, Sharon returned to Brawley, where she worked for Campesinos Unidos. She later returned to school at San Diego Miramar College, where she graduated in 2015 with her Associate of Science degree in Administration of Justice. She went on to study Global Disease Biology at UC Davis and had expected to graduate this Spring. Always proud of where she came from, Sharon was part of the Imperial Valley Aggies 760 group at UC Davis, helping new students from the Imperial Valley to transition to their new college life. Sharon had a passion for volunteering, and there was no end to her charitable work. After Hurricane Katrina, Sharon spent 3 months volunteering as an Intake Supervisor with the American Red Cross in Alabama. She also provided photography services for CASA Imperial Valley and Yuma County Foster Care. She worked with Campus Life of Imperial Valley providing mentorship and fellowship. Sharon had a deep love for her friends and family, especially her many cousins and their children. She was the type of person who would be your friend for life after a single meeting. She was preceded in death by her mother, Yvonnie Bonnie Lira; grandparents, Modesto and Sarah Ybarra, and Macario and Josephine Lira; uncles, George Ybarra, Pedro Lira and Richard Lira. She is survived by her father, Arthur Lira; brother, Michael Lira and brother-in-law Jared Baker; aunts, Mariana Altamirano (Frank), Gloria Coronado (Renee), Dolores Garcia, Carmen Kalt, Christina Andrade (Joe), Terry Garcia (Joey), Terry Lira, Ernestine Ochoa (Daniel) and Vicki Betancourt (Apolinar); uncles, Modesto Ybarra Jr. (Joan) and Macario Lira Jr.; as well as many cousins, second cousins, and life-long friends. Services will be held at St. Margaret Mary Church in Brawley on April 14th, Rosary at 8:30 a.m. and Funeral Mass at 9 a.m. Burial will follow after the mass at Riverview Cemetery, as well as a reception at the ACC Grounds. Her family wishes to thank everyone who has visited, sent cards, or donated money to help with her final expenses. We cannot tell you enough how much this means to us, and how much we will miss her. In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations be made to the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research.