Sharon M. M. Mendelsohn

Sharon M. Mendelsohn (née Mulligan)

Hendersonville, N.C.

Sharon Mulligan Mendelsohn, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, and devoted member of her community, died peacefully on July 30, 2025, in Hendersonville, North Carolina.

Born and raised in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio, Sharon earned her undergraduate degree in Washington, D.C., where she also pursued graduate studies. With an innate gift for connecting people and ideas, she built a distinguished career in sales, marketing, and public relations-spanning both corporate and nonprofit sectors. She held leadership roles in health-focused nonprofits and women's leadership initiatives, including work with the American Liver Foundation and collaborations with the Cleveland Clinic. Her expertise was shared generously, as she offered countless hours of pro bono PR and communications support to civic organizations, local political campaigns, and charitable causes close to her heart.

Sharon and her husband of 42 years, Richard ("Tim") Mendelsohn, shared an enduring love of culture, travel, and adventure. Whether attending the Cleveland Orchestra, wandering museum galleries, or setting out on new journeys, they approached life with curiosity and appreciation. From scaling the Dolomites and hiking the Camino de Santiago to exploring quiet museums across Europe in search of her beloved Dutch and Flemish masters, Sharon embraced each experience with joy and wonder. Yet no destination or moment meant more to her than time spent with family.

Sharon was the mother of Megan Malloy (John) of Lake Forest, Illinois, and the proud grandmother of John ("Jack"), Theodore ("Teddy"), and Pierce. She was also the loving stepmother of Jennifer Dingee (Mark) and John Mendelsohn. A loyal sister to Jim, Laurie, Gene, Peter, and Kim, Sharon especially treasured summers at the family's lake home in Madison, where they enjoyed boating, skiing, sailing, and relaxing on the shores of Lake Erie.

A dedicated and spirited athlete, Sharon was a former competitive USTA tennis player turned devoted pickleball enthusiast. She was instrumental in launching the pickleball program at Hendersonville Country Club and served as chairperson of the High Country Hikers, where she founded and led the group's popular social hikes.

Deeply rooted in her community, Sharon was a certified master gardener, a longtime volunteer at Bullington Gardens, and a regular gardening columnist for the local newspaper. Her commitment to service extended across decades of volunteerism and leadership in arts and civic organizations, as well as educational and health-focused initiatives. She was also an active member of First United Methodist Church of Hendersonville and participated in several book clubs, finding lasting joy in shared ideas and thoughtful conversation.

Known for her ability to cultivate both beauty and connection, Sharon made her home a welcoming place-through gatherings around her table, quiet gestures of kindness, and the deep relationships she nurtured with grace, wit, and presence.

She was the eldest daughter of Dolores McFadden Mulligan and the late Eugene Edward Mulligan, senior partner at Ernst & Young in Cleveland.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance or Bullington Gardens. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, August 9, on the grounds of Bullington Gardens. In the event of rain, the service will be moved to the chapel at First United Methodist Church of Hendersonville. Shuler Funeral Home has the honor of serving the family.