Sharon Segal

Sharon D. Segal of San Anselmo, CA, formerly of Ventnor, N.J., passed away December 17, 2024, at age 73.

Sharon was born in Philadelphia in 1951 to former Marine Mike Segal, who later became a Ventnor City Councilman and general manager of Grossman's Kensington Furniture, and Natalie Youtie, of an old Atlantic City family who operated Youtie's Department Store. When Sharon was 8, the family moved to Ventnor City, where she attended Ventnor Public Schools and then Atlantic City High School, where she was an excellent student and a member of SAGS sorority. Sharon went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in history at Ithaca College in Ithaca, N.Y., and following graduation, she lived a few years in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., where she learned the fundamentals of the optical trade.

In the late 1970s, Sharon relocated to San Francisco, where she was employed at several optical practices and as a sales manager in car dealerships. She eventually settled in Marin County, and working under the tutelage of Dr. Gerald Belanger at Marin Optometry, Sharon honed her skills in the field of optometry. She continued working with Dr. Belanger, as his lab manager, until his passing when she and Dr. Channie Duhn took the practice forward into the twenty-first century.

Sharon was a passionate ambassador and volunteer on behalf of her Marin County community over the years, serving tirelessly on the Board of Trustees of 10,000 Degrees, a Marin-based charity that funds college educations for deserving students in need. She also loved, with boundless enthusiasm, her family, travel, fine wine, golf, fine clothing, and cats.

Sharon's loved ones will always remember her big grin, her joyful spirit, her inclination to see the world in an optimistic light, and her determination to have a fun time during her time on this planet.

Sharon was predeceased by her parents, Mike and Natalie Segal, and her grandparents, Dr. and Mrs. Benjamin Youtie of Atlantic City. She is survived by brother Stuart and sister-in-law Rashmika in New Jersey; sister-in-law Kathy (Huddy) Simon and nephew Stephen Segal in Chicago; niece Samantha Segal and grandniece Gabriella in New York; aunt Barbara Youtie and cousins David and Michael Goloff in the Atlantic City area; her former business partner, Dr. Channie Duhn, who she always considered family, in Brisbane, Australia; her beloved cousins around the world; and by many, many very dear friends in Marin County and beyond.

Donations in Sharon's memory may be made to 10,000 Degrees in San Rafael, Calif., the charity to which she donated so much time and effort over the years. A celebration of Sharon's life will be held in California later this year.