Thea Sharon Winegar

Thea Sharon Westberg Winegar, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and faithful disciple of Jesus Christ, passed away peacefully on January 15, 2026, at the age of 85, following a beautiful life well lived.

Sharon was born on October 4, 1940, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Virgil Leslie Westberg and Edna LaRue Ruff. She was the oldest of three children and grew up in Salt Lake City, where her parents purchased the family home on 324 West 400 North when she was just two years old. She attended Washington Elementary School, Horace Mann Junior High, and West High School, where she was an active member of the Pep Club. After high school, Sharon attended the University of Utah for two years, taking general education and dance classes.

On September 8, 1960, Sharon married the love of her life, Gary H. Winegar, in the Salt Lake Temple. Together they built a life centered on faith, family, service, and learning. They were blessed with five children and lived in Atwater, California, and Ontario, Oregon while Gary taught school, then in Bryan, Texas while he attended Texas A&M University. In 1969, they settled in Fresno, California, where they lived for 32 years and raised their family, creating countless cherished memories.

Sharon was a devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served faithfully in many callings throughout her life, including Relief Society Counselor (five times), Relief Society President, Stake Relief Society President, and Temple Ordinance Worker. Her quiet leadership, compassion, and dedication to serving others left a lasting impact on all who knew her.

In 1985, Sharon returned to school at Fresno State, taking classes a few at a time while continuing to care for her family. She graduated in 1990 with a degree in Elementary Education. After a brief period of substitute teaching, she taught full-time and part-time for ten years at Vinland Elementary School, Easterby Elementary School, and Roeding Elementary School. She taught first and second grades and Reading Recovery, a specialized reading program developed in Australia. Sharon retired from teaching in 2001, leaving behind a love for reading, which she later passed on to her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Following retirement, Sharon and Gary served two missions together: at Temple Square during the 2002 Winter Olympics, and later in Tarawa, Kiribati (2007–2009), where they served at Moroni High School, a Church-owned school. From 2003 to 2014, they lived in Riverton, Utah, working in the sealing office of the Jordan River Temple. In 2014, they moved to Gilbert, Arizona, to be closer to family and continued their temple service at the Gilbert Arizona Temple.

Sharon found joy in life's simple and meaningful moments. She loved to cook, sew, read, organize, watch the news, shop for bargains, and, most of all, spend time talking with her children and family. She considered her family her greatest blessing and was a constant example of loving service and devotion to the Lord.

Sharon was preceded in death by her husband, Gary H. Winegar; her parents; her infant daughter, Lori Winegar; and her great-grandson, Ethan James Brendle.

She is survived by her four children: Shelley VanWagenen (Reed), Julie Brendle (Jim), Patti Spilsbury (Dave), and Robert Gary Winegar (Kerri); her siblings, Michael Randy Westberg and Gayle Lynn Westberg; 17 grandchildren; and 30 great-grandchildren.

Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Gilbert 3rd Ward, 495 S. Greenfield Road, Gilbert, Arizona 85234.
Visitation: 10:00 a.m.
Funeral Service: 11:00 a.m.

Interment: Gilbert Memorial Park, 2100 East Queen Creek Road, Gilbert, Arizona 85297.