Sharon Marion Verhey

Sharon Marion (Taylor) Verhey, 79, of Reno, Nevada, passed away on September 25th, 2021, from complications associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

Sharon was born November 19, 1941, at the Swedish Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the first of five children. The young family struggled to make ends meet on a tight budget with both parents working at staggered shifts. From an early age, Sharon worked odd jobs and cared for her younger siblings like a second mother. As a child she heard the good news about Jesus Christ and trusted in him as her Savior. A joyful spirit and love for people marked every aspect of her life going forward, springing from her faith in Christ.

Sharon loved music but couldn’t afford piano lessons. In high school, she taught herself to play during frequent visits to Schmitt’s Music in downtown Minneapolis where she used the free-of-charge piano carrels. One day outside Schmitt’s she discovered a $35 roll of stamps on the sidewalk. She used the money to attend a Christian church camp where she learned about Minnehaha Academy. A church member provided a one year scholarship to attend Minnehaha where she met her high school sweetheart, Jim Verhey. She went on to graduate from Roosevelt High School in 1959.

Sharon worked long hours to put herself through college at the University of Minnesota, earning a Bachelor of Arts in History. After college she decided to take a teaching job in rural Powers, Michigan. Always up for an adventure, she acquired her beloved VW Beetle, drove to the Upper Peninsula backwoods and rented a room on a small farm while teaching school.

Sharon returned to Minnesota and married Jim Verhey in September 1965 at Elim Covenant Church in Minneapolis. She completed a second Bachelor’s degree in Education in 1966. Jim and Sharon moved to Greenfield, Massachusetts where she worked as a grade school teacher and he completed his Master’s residency in hospital administration. Sharon could be seen speeding around town in their 1964 Corvette Stingray. Her students were very impressed.

In 1967, the Verheys moved to the Walker River Indian Reservation in Schurz, Nevada where Jim served as administrator of the U.S. Public Health Service Indian Hospital. Sharon taught school on the reservation, earning the love and respect of her Native American students. She received a federal award of excellence for her Kindergarten startup. The Verheys moved several more times for Jim’s work before returning to settle in suburban Minneapolis. Along the way, they welcomed three children into their family: Peter, David and Sarah.

Sharon became a devoted stay at home mom, supporting her children’s growth through school, sports, music and church. She was joyful in her mothering, steady, always engaged, always prayerful. She rarely complained. She posted Scripture around the house and spoke God’s Word to her kids (and to everyone she met!) She sewed homemade clothes, helped with paper routes, hosted birthday parties and volunteered in the Edina public school system as a parent advisor to the Gifted and Talented program. She could drive a car pool at top speed in two feet of snow without batting an eyelash. 

In addition to her work as a mom, Sharon managed a product distribution and sales business developed by Jim’s parents. She was funny, smart, classy and had a keen fashion sense. She delighted in celebrating holidays and was a consummate hostess and cook. She worked hard to create beautiful family memories and treasured relationships with her parents, siblings and extended family. She took pride in her Swedish heritage. 

In 1979, Jim and Sharon started a consulting firm with a practice focused on facilities development project management. The venture began on their basement ping pong table where their kids stuffed envelopes with marketing mailings. Over the years, Sharon’s extraordinary management skills and clerical acumen proved integral to the growth and success of the family business that serviced clients such as Standard Oil, Stanford University and the University of Minnesota. During this period, Sharon also served as project administrator for three custom owner/builder homes for the family.

In 1985, the Verheys relocated to Reno, Nevada. Sharon saw a need there for women to find Christian fellowship and encounter God through his Word. She co-founded Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) in Reno, which became a lifeline to hundreds of women and grew into a thriving regional ministry that continues to impact many people today. Sharon valued the truth of God’s Word and studied it daily. She was a spiritual mother to many, calling them to believe the gospel of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ alone. She loved her church community and the sound Bible preaching at Grace Community Church in Minden, Nevada.

Sharon was a builder, facilitator and supporter--always investing in others, always giving her time and unconditional love. She befriended everyone from the grocery clerk to the postal worker, showing genuine interest in the details of their lives. She adored her grandchildren, praying faithfully that they would love and follow Jesus. 

Sharon valued her many friendships across generations and seasons of life. Friends and family enjoyed her warm sense of humor and signature sayings such as: “Oh my stars and garters!” She preferred her coffee black and enjoyed an occasional cold beer. She liked to travel and to be outdoors in the bright Nevada sunshine. Anytime she got a spare moment, she would be at her piano, playing hymns and singing to the Lord.

Sharon was first and always a Christian. She rejoiced in God’s forgiving grace and relied on him in everything. Filled with optimism even in the most difficult circumstances, she was a constant encourager and always pointed others to hope in Christ. Throughout her long illness, Sharon’s love for Christ was evident, and God used that testimony to uplift many. With her race complete, she now sees her Savior face to face and delights in his presence. “Well done, good and faithful servant … Enter into the joy of your Master” (Matthew 25:21).

Sharon was predeceased by her parents, Burt and LaVerne Taylor. She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Jim, her four siblings, Nancy (Ron) DeHaven, Glenn (Beth) Taylor, JoAnne (Bill) Maier, and Steven (Sandy) Taylor, and her three children, Peter (Kerri), David (Grace), and Sarah (Dan) Lee, and eight grandchildren: Jens, Erik and Britta Verhey, Hannah and Noah Lee, and Rachel, Anna and Benjamin Verhey.