Janet Sharp Schoon

Janet Sharp Schoon, age 68, of Troy, passed away on January 2, 2023 in the arms of her devoted husband, Marcus, after living bravely with glioblastoma for three years. She was the beloved mother of Kenneth (George Han) of Oakland, California, and Julianna of Belleville, Michigan, and is also survived by her loving sisters, nieces, nephews, and extended family.
Born June 9, 1954, the third of five daughters to Robert Weimer Sharp and Norine Wines Sharp of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Janet grew up in a household that was filled with music. After graduating from Cleveland Heights High School, she received her Bachelor of Music Education from Baldwin-Wallace College and a Master of Music in Woodwind Performance from the University of Michigan. In 1983 she married the love of her life, Marcus, a fellow woodwind specialist.
Janet followed in her family's long tradition of public school teaching and found great fulfillment in her career. She taught elementary school instrumental music in Ohio for 14 years, mostly in her hometown Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District, before moving to Troy when Marcus joined the Detroit Symphony Orchestra as contrabassoonist. While her children were young, she offered private clarinet lessons in her home. As her children grew slightly older, she resumed teaching elementary instrumental music in the Troy School District for 21 more years, eventually at all 12 elementary schools, before retiring in 2020.
Her love of music included performing as well as teaching. She played woodwinds in various professional performances locally, including bassoon with the Dearborn Symphony. She sang soprano in the choir of Birmingham First United Methodist Church as a member of the congregation. After her glioblastoma diagnosis, when she could no longer play woodwind instruments, she learned to play the French horn and continued to sing in the choir.
Janet was an avid reader who had a great love of learning. In her spare moments, she was often reading newspapers and books or doing crossword puzzles. She was a longtime fan of and was excited to have her 15 minutes of fame with her 1988 appearance on the show. She enjoyed traveling internationally, including two trips to China three decades apart, and was grateful to fulfill a longtime dream in August 2022 to attend the famed Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany.
Though she achieved much throughout her life, Janet had a humble spirit and did not like to take the spotlight. She was most proud of her family and delighted in being with those she loved. Friends and family remember her as kind, gentle, thoughtful, reliable, patient, and caring. Although reserved in talking about her faith, she was deeply shaped by her faith tradition and felt God's presence giving her strength and comfort during her illness.
A memorial service to celebrate Janet's life will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, February 4 at Birmingham First United Methodist Church (1589 W. Maple Rd. Birmingham, MI 48009), followed by a catered lunch in the fellowship hall. All who knew and loved Janet are invited to attend. Those who are unable to attend in person may watch the livestream by visiting www.fumcbirmingham.org/watch-livestream and clicking on "special event livestream".
A scholarship fund for Troy School District instrumental music students is being set up in Janet's memory. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to establish the scholarship fund by visiting www.gofundme.com/f/janet-sharp-schoon-memorial-scholarship-fund. Donations may also be made to the American Brain Tumor Association.
~Lovingly written by the family.