Ruby Sharon Lepka

In Loving Memory of Sharon Lepka

November 30, 1944 – July 6, 2025

Ruby Sharon Tate was born November 30, 1944 in Lewiston, Idaho to Ben and Dorothy (née Johnson) Tate. A small girl from a big family of modest means, Sharon learned early on that if she was going to make her way in the world, it would be through charm, grit, and the ability to laugh through adversity. She carried those traits proudly to the very end.

Sharon passed away peacefully at her home in Hayden, Idaho on Sunday, July 6, 2025, at the age of 80.

In the 1960s, she married the love of her life, Mike Lepka, and together they built roads across the Northwest and friendships that lasted a lifetime. Eventually, they settled in North Idaho but kept a foot (and a cold drink) in southern Nevada, where the Golden Nugget sparkled nearly as bright as Ruby herself.

Over the years, Sharon wore many hats—bartender, flagger, secretary, gambler—but the one that fit her best was Grandma. She seized every chance to brag about her grandkids and great-grandkids, to slip them money like a Cold War spy, or to mail them “silly little cards” filled with stickers, glitter, and well-wishes. She collected their graduation programs, newspaper clippings, and every photo anyone ever mailed her.

In addition to her love for her grandkids, Sharon loved to talk. Drop her anywhere in the world, and she’d walk away with new friends and a marriage proposal. She never met a stranger, missed a hair appointment, or turned down a Little Debbie’s Honey Bun.

She often said that when she died, she wanted to be cremated and placed on top of the television “because it’s warm and I can listen to my stories.” That’s Sharon in a nutshell—funny, fiery, and one-of-a-kind.

She is survived by her sister Linda Buhl, her daughters Debbie Mitton and Kristen Park, her seven grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and companion Clyde Smith and his family.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Mike; daughter Cindy; sister Shirley; and brothers Ben, Mike, Steven, Bill, and Donnie.

Though she’s cashed out, Sharon has left us with a jackpot of memories. If you hear a little laugh near the penny slots or feel lucky even after losing, it might just be her reminding you to play on.