Sharon Eilene Hensley

Sharon Eilene Hensley’s love of life did not come to an end with her death. Sharon passed peacefully at the age of 82 at home with her family, after a short, courageous battle with mouth cancer. Sharon and her twin sister, Karen, were born February 13, 1940 to Fred Gerdes and Velma Eilene Gerdes (Castleberry) in Cozad, Nebraska. After graduating from El Camino High School in 1958, she married the love of her life, Jack D. Hensley in April 1961. They celebrated over 50 years of marriage together before his passing and had 5 children together. Sharon accomplished many incredible things in her 82 years of life. She worked for the State of California for more than 10 years and ran her own business selling her artwork. She created many paintings over the years, including one that hung in the Royal Palace in Hawaii for a time. Her paintings are now hanging in the homes of all of her family members and loved ones. She enjoyed bowling in her younger adult years, and was a member of the Women’s Bowling Association. She was also the team mom for baseball and Girl Scout leader for her children. The house she and Jack bought in Carmichael, CA has been the go-to swimming party and BBQ location for over 55 years. After retirement she and her husband, Jack, traveled the country in their motor home. They brought everyone that would like to make memories along on their adventures to places like Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore and the Grand Canyon. Sharon was also the world’s biggest Disney fan. She grew up going to Disneyland as her father; Fred worked as an iron worker in the construction of the park. She started a tradition and would take all of her grandchildren every summer. Nothing brought her more joy than sharing these memories with her family. After her cancer diagnosis, more than 35 of Sharon’s loved ones caravanned to the Happiest Place on Earth and threw her the most amazing 82 nd birthday bash. Memories will remain of her scooting around the park eating cotton candy, drinking her Starbuck’s Latte and shopping till she dropped. Sharon was preceded in death by her twin sister, Karen Nadine Wegman (Gerdes), her brother Thomas Lee Gerdes, her parents, Eilene and Fred, her beloved husband Jack, and their daughter Darleen. She was also preceded by her son-in-law, Kevin DeCroix and daughter-in-law, Michele Hensley. She is survived by her brother, Fred Gerdes Jr. (Anna), her sister, Jeannie Beatty (Greg,) her children Joni DeCroix, Phyllis Barry (Dan), Jack Hensley Jr. and Jeffrey Hensley (Pam) her son in law Darren Shelmadine as well as 14 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren that love her very much. Services will be held at 1pm on Saturday June 11, 2022 at Gethsemane Lutheran Church 4706 Arden Way Sacramento, CA 95608. Flowers can be sent directly to the church, and we ask that anyone that loved Sharon come ready to celebrate her life and legacy with a potluck style reception afterwards in the parish hall. There will also be an interment at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery on August 1, 2022 with more details to come.