Sharron Karel (Northrup) Heim

Sharron Karel Heim (Northrup) passed away peacefully in her home on January 15, 2024. Sharron was born to Lawrence and Patricia Northrup on March 6, 1942 in the farming community of St. Francis, Kansas. She graduated from Cheyenne County High School and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Fort Hays State and the University of Kansas, respectively.

From childhood onward, Sharron wanted to be a teacher. After years of practice on her largely uncooperative brothers, she went on to teach English and Spanish at Nallwood Jr. High in Overland Park, Kansas and Carmel Jr. High in Indiana. Sharron loved to travel and spent summers in Mexico and Europe as a young adult. She also had a fondness for reading, writing, and music. Sharron knew the value of friendship and maintained lifelong connections with friends from childhood, her college sorority, and beyond. Friends and family alike could always count on her kindness, intelligence, and wit — the latter of which sparked laughter in good times and in bad.

Sharron married Joseph Heim, her husband of fifty-seven years, in 1967. Together, they welcomed Sarah (David) Galante in 1976, followed by Laura (Jon) Spiegel in 1979. The first of five grandchildren arrived in 2006. As a treasured grandmother, Grandma “Ruby” was known for her homemade pies, her fierce card playing skills, and her ridiculous white elephant presents at Christmas.

Sharron is survived by her husband; her children; her grandchildren, Ava, Lauren, Joseph, Dominic, and Emily; her brother, L. Scott Northrup; her sister-in-law, Linda Northrup (Hill); and several nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Robert Northrup.

Sharron’s faith was a cornerstone in her life until the end. In her words:

Now my dear ones, don’t grieve for me. I am with the Lord Jesus, resting in my heavenly Father’s arms. I expect to unite with you all one day because of our common belief that Jesus is our Lord and Savior. He died for our sins, and we will live eternally in glory. So for now, I won’t say goodbye; I’ll say see you later.

Memorials in Sharron’s name can be sent to the below organizations or to a charitable organization of your choice.

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

8445 Keystone Crossing #135

Indianapolis, IN 46240

Capuchin Province of St. Conrad

3613 Wyandot St.

Denver, CO 80211

Visitation will be on January 20th at 9:00 AM at the Mickey-Leopold Funeral Home in Hoxie, Kansas. Services will be at 10:30 AM at the same location with burial to follow.

Local arrangements entrusted to Leppert Mortuary. To share a personal memory of Sharon please visit www.leppertmortuary.com