Sharon E. Grow

Sharon was born June 4, 1938, in Trenton, NJ to Clifford and Marie Matter. Sharon spent much of her childhood moving from city to city before settling in Southaven, MS. She played violin as a child and was considered a child prodigy.

Soon after graduating from high school, she met Elvis Presley through a mutual friend and became friends with Elvis, including having the privilege of spending time at Graceland and even singing backup vocals for Elvis.

Sharon moved to Kansas City in 1962 and started attending Immanuel Baptist Church where she met her future husband Rex Grow. She and Rex married in 1963 and welcomed a daughter in 1964. In 1967, the family settled in Prairie Village, KS, where she remained until her death. Throughout their marriage, Rex and Sharon attended several churches where Rex played the organ and directed the adult choir, and Sharon would direct the children’s choir. Together, they would serve God and spread the love and joy of music until Rex’s death in 1997. The last church they served in together was Armour Heights Baptist Church, where Sharon continued to serve in the adult choir and directed both adult and children’s bell choirs and the children’s choir. Sharon was a pillar in the church and stayed involved in all aspects of the church, but bell choir and Vacation Bible School were the two things she loved the most.

After working as an assistant for a doctor’s office in Kansas City, Sharon decided to follow in her mother and grandmother’s footsteps to become a nurse. She graduated from Penn Valley Community College in 1974. She spent the majority of her 40+ years of nursing working in critical care. She was devoted to her patients and loved by her co-workers. Sharon also spent a great deal of time mentoring new nurses and teaching CPR with her daughter throughout the community.

As much as Sharon was devoted to church, music, and nursing, nothing was more important to her than family. She always made time for family, from supporting, nurturing, and cheering on her daughter’s every endeavor to doing the same for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Sharon didn’t limit her love and care to immediate family, she also opened her heart and home to nieces, nephews, and others in need, always giving of herself. Her family was her greatest joy.

Sharon lived a long, fulfilling, exciting, and blessed life whose impact will be felt for years to come. She will be greatly missed by everyone who knew her. We will carry her love and spirit in our hearts forever.

Sharon was preceded in death by her husband, Rex Grow, mother, Marie Matter, father, Clifford Matter, sister, Donna Kinsey, foster daughter Eileen Glenn and son-in-law, David Shay.

She is survived by her daughter, Kimberly Shay of Shawnee, grandchildren, Dan Shay (Nicole) of Shawnee, Andrew Shay of Olathe, Matthew Shay (Taryn) of Salina, Julie Sokoup (Brad) of Hutchinson, and Aaron Glenn (Jennifer) of Hutchinson, along with 10 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren.

A visitation for Sharon will be held Saturday, February 22, 2025 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM at Armour Heights Baptist Church, 7900 Jarboe Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64114. A celebration of life will follow at 1:00 PM at the church. A committal service will take place at 2:30 PM in Mount Moriah Cemetery South, 10507 Holmes Road, Kansas City, Missouri 64131.