Sharon Collison Obituary

Sharon Collison, 85 of Carroll, and formerly of Arcadia, died Saturday, September 20, 2025 at Regency Park Nursing Home in Carroll. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, September 27, 2025 at Holy Spirit Church – St. John Paul II Parish in Carroll. The Celebrant will be Fr. Craig Collison. Music will be by Kathy Halbur. Lectors for the Funeral Mass will be Mindie Simons, Kelley Pick, and Lisa Langenfeld. Gift Bearers will be Jazalyn Miller, Maddox Miller, Madalena Paes and Theodore Paes. Eucharistic Ministers will be Julie and Scott Hodne. Honorary pallbearers will be Kellie Paes, Kimberlie Hodne, Tom Collison, Sarah Collison, and Danielle Neiman. A private family burial will be at a later date in St. John Cemetery in Arcadia. A visitation will be held from 4:30-6:30 p.m. on Friday at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll with a rosary at 6:30 p.m. Additional visitation will be from 9:30-10:15 a.m. on Saturday at the church. In lieu of flowers memorials may be left for The Parkinson's Foundation to help improve care and advance research. Funeral arrangements are under the guidance of the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for Sharon's family at www.sharpfuneral.com. Sharon was the daughter of Felix and Bernadette (Conroy) Langenfeld. She was born on March 8, 1940, at St. Anthony Hospital in Carroll, Iowa, and she grew up in Carroll. Sharon was proud to graduate in 1958 as part of the very first class of Kuemper High School, following its transition from St. Angela's Academy. Inspired by her Aunty Mike (Loretta Winnike) and her older sister Sandy, Sharon pursued her dream of becoming a nurse. She attended Saint Catherine's School of Nursing and Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, graduating with her RN degree in 1961 alongside some of her closest friends. On December 29, 1962, Sharon was united in marriage to Thomas J. Collison at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Carroll. They met as classmates at Kuemper. Sharon quickly put together a beautiful winter wedding, when they found out that Tom had Christmas break while enlisted in the Navy in Pensacola, FL. She was excited to start her life and family with Tom and immediately began work as an Operating Nurse in Pensacola. They lived in Pensacola and in Washington D.C. while Tom was in the Navy. They had four beautiful children together, Julie, Jennifer, Timothy and Jodi. After Tom was honorably discharged from the Navy, they returned to Iowa, settling into a beautiful farmhouse near Halbur where they could live and work close to family and friends. Sharon took great joy in attending and supporting all of her children's events in Manning. She worked as a school nurse for the Carroll Community School District for over 30 years, a role she truly loved. Sharon enjoyed driving her little Honeybee to the nearby parochial schools before eventually joining the Kuemper Catholic School system in Carroll. Sharon was a former member of the School Nurses Association, St. Augustine's Parish and Ladies Guild in Halbur and she volunteered many hours working at St. Anthony Hospital's Auxiliary Snack Bar. She retired in 2005. Even in retirement, she continued caring for others, offering help to her aunts and uncles and anyone in need. Sharon and Tom shared 55 wonderful years on their farm. She enjoyed decorating her home for every holiday, especially for St. Patrick's Day, because she was proud to be IRISH! She became a bit famous when their home was featured in the 1992 Carroll Times as the "True Gingerbread House". She had accumulated quite the collection over the years. They each had a special meaning to her! Sharon was a wonderful cook, and she really enjoyed cooking meals for her family and toasting at the big table. Her many hobbies included golfing, gardening, playing cards with her family and card club, reading, and keeping up with her favorite PEOPLE magazines. She and Tom treasured their travels together. When their children were young, they especially enjoyed trips to Okoboji, and in later years, to the Lake of the Ozarks. They also loved visiting their 3 children and grandchildren in California, and shared unforgettable journeys to Alaska, Hawaii, Italy, France, and Ireland. In 2019, Sharon was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. Tom was the very best caretaker throughout those first years until extra help was needed. Excellent care was provided by the Carroll County Home Care Aides, SARH Hospice staff, her family and some very special caregivers. Sharon and Tom moved to Carroll in June of 2024 to be closer to healthcare. Sharon was a spiritual person and prayed every day for all of us. She would say to keep faith, family and friends close. She was a wonderful card giver and always signed them with "Love and Prayers." Sharon was a loving and compassionate person whose life was filled with love and laughter. She will be deeply missed by many. Sharon is preceded in death by her parents: Felix and Bernedette Langenfeld, Tom's parents, Marvin and Ruth Collison, her siblings, Sandy Ulveling and Dr. Robert Langenfeld and her brothers-in-law, Paul Collison and Bill Feld. Survivors include her loving family, husband, Tom Collison of Carroll, her four children; Julie (Scott) Hodne of Manning, IA, Jennifer Piccinini of San Francisco, CA, Tim (Bev) Collison of Granite Bay, CA, Jodi (Jeff) Neiman of Roseville, CA and special friend /cousin, Roxie McDaniel from Columbia, MO. 8 grandchildren: Katie (Joe) Billmeier, Kellie (Lucas) Paes, Kimberlie Hodne; Luca Piccinini; Sarah Collison, Tom Collison, Nick Pellegrino, Ana Pellegrino; Nicole Neiman (Fiancé, Eric Millan), Danielle Neiman and Jacob Neiman; 4 great grandchildren: Jazalyn and Maddox Miller, Madalena and Theodore Paes; Sisters-in-laws: June Langenfeld, Judy Feld, Shirley Collison, Mary Collison, Jean Collison and Diane Collison and brothers-in-laws: Jim Ulveling, Dr. Robert Collison, David Collison and Steve Collison; as well as many special nieces and nephews, other extended relatives and many many friends.