Sharon Ann Gates

Sharon Ann Gates passed away peacefully on Friday, February 14, 2025 at the age of 72.

Sharon was born February 15, 1952, in Muncie, Indiana to Donald and Verna Bartlett. She graduated from Delta High School in Muncie in 1970 before matriculating to Ball State University. At Ball State, Sharon earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in special education. She later spent time doing post-master's work in special education at the University of Kansas between stints of teaching. She began her teaching career at Muncie Central High School, followed by time in Decatur and Westfield Schools before spending the majority of her career teaching special education in the Hamilton Southeastern School District, nearly all of it at Hamilton Southeastern High School, until retiring in 2018 after nearly 45 years of teaching.

She married Porter Brent Gates in Muncie on April 9, 1988. They moved to Fishers, Indiana, that year, and their only son Zachary was born a year later. She and Brent lived happily in Fishers until Brent passed away in 2019. Sharon then spent her remaining years at Prairie Lakes Health Campus in Noblesville, Indiana.

Sharon inherited her mother's love for reading and passed it on to her son as well. Whether on the couch, beside the pool, or at the beach, she always had a mystery or fantasy novel ready to crack open at a moment's notice. She was passionate about music. She loved to sing, always humming or singing a tune around the house or singing in the church choir. Even in her last days with dementia, she would sing "Country Roads" by John Denver with anyone willing to join in. She was an avid sports fan. She was a huge Muncie Central Bearcat fan and later waved the wheat as a Jayhawk during her time at KU. In fact, her Jayhawk sweatshirt caught Brent's eye and sparked the first conversation between Sharon and her future husband. She became deeply invested in cross country and track due to Zach's career and attended high school meets even after he graduated just because "she missed it". She also held a special place in her heart for animals, often sharing stories about her beloved childhood dog Snoop while later doting on family pets Rachael, Rumpleteaser, Maxwell, and Truman. She even was known to most people in the Sandstone Lakes neighborhood as "Maxwell's mom" because he walked her around the neighborhood so often.

Sharon was a truly warm, kind, and patient person. To her students, she was tough but fair. They knew she had high expectations, but they also knew she always had their best interest in mind and would go to great lengths to help them succeed. To her friends and family, she was a person everyone wanted to be around. She got along with everyone. She had a great sense of humor, subtly inserting quick jabs that might surprise you while also able to laugh at her husband's goofy dad jokes and plays on words. She was happy watching sports, reading quietly, playing cards, singing karaoke, or talking at the doorstep for an hour after finishing a walk. Sharon's kindness brought comfort to those around her, and made her an important part of so many lives.

Sharon was preceded in death by her parents, Donald and Verna Bartlett, as well as her husband Brent Gates.

She is survived by her son Zachary; her siblings Gary (Kathy) Bartlett and Rex (Inga) Bartlett; as well as her nephews Dylan Bartlett, Ian (Brandy) Bartlett, Chris (Tara) Walters, and Keith (Lexie) Walters; and niece Madison Bartlett.

Services for Sharon will be held Friday, February 28, 2025, at 2pm, at Indiana Funeral Care, 8151 Allisonville Rd. Indianapolis, IN 46250. Family and friends are welcome to gather for a visitation from 12pm until the time of service at the funeral home.

Indiana Funeral Care is honored to be assisting the family with the services.