Sharon R Watts

A 2 ½ year-old toddler named Sharon was escorted into the house of George and Connie Raymond on an early spring day in 1942. She looked around and said, “Okay. I’ll stay.” And thus little Sharon became Sharon Raymond, and her life forward began to take shape.

As a new Raymond, Sharon also gained a brother, Jack, who treated Sharon like a princess. Sharon’s mom Connie significantly shaped who she was. Connie was a devotee of the arts especially music and theater and specifically Shakespeare. Sharon adored her mother.

One of her earliest memories was seeing Laurence Olivier in “Hamlet” on the silver screen with her mother. Sharon fell in love with Shakespeare from there on.

Sharon’s life in Logan was a slice of 1950s Americana. She excelled academically in high school, was a member of the student council, attended Girls State and was the Harvest Days queen. But most significantly, in the 8th grade, she met the love of her life, Joe Watts. Joe would have to stand on a step or a stool to kiss her, at least in the beginning years. Joe’s brother Gary also met the love of his life, Mildred, around the same time. They became a foursome in dating, early married life, and throughout their lives.

Joe and Sharon had their first child, Connie, in 1965 and their second child, Joey, in 1968. During this time Joe moved from coaching and sportswriting in Logan to take the role of Sports Editor for the Daily Herald in Provo. Leaving Logan was big for both of them, but soon Utah County became home.

Sharon loved her growing small family but also suffered from what was then called manic depression (now known as bi-polar disorder). Joe became a major advocate for Sharon in finding the medical help and tools she needed to battle the illness. The struggle they faced together brought them even closer.

In her pursuit of feeling better, Sharon leaned heavily into her true passions. And it can be said that Shakespeare offered a hand that helped lift her from the darkness throughout her life.

Over the years, Sharon educated herself on every aspect of Shakespeare. Through her studies she became one of Utah’s leading experts on Shakespeare. Annual trips to the Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City became a highlight of the year for both Sharon and her daughter Connie who always accompanied her. Very soon the Shakespeare Festival leaders recognized Sharon’s talents and knowledge and hired her to travel the state offering lectures to community gatherings, high schools and continuing education programs.

A major highlight in Sharon’s life was a summer-long trip to England. She traveled everywhere and added to her vast knowledge of not only Shakespeare but England itself.

Life in Utah County became a vibrant time for Sharon and her family as Joe shifted careers to launch Watts Lumber. The successful business elevated their lives, filling the years with family, travel, a new beautiful home and the luxury of time to advance her passions and her exceptional talent as an artist and creator of beautiful things.

Then another major change came. When the steel mill closed in Utah County, many businesses, including Watts Lumber, failed. The family moved to Salt Lake City to pursue new beginnings. The Salt Lake years started out rocky as the family all grappled with how to start over. But once again, Sharon found strength and joy increasing her work with the Shakespeare Festival and pursuing more of her own talents, including poetry.

After the kids left the nest, Sharon and Joe moved to Three Fountains East and fell in love with the community. Sharon made a number of lifelong friends and became involved in community groups. Sharon and Joe settled into togetherness.

It was at Three Fountains East that Sharon envisioned a mythical world known as Hamelot. She put pen to paper, writing narrative poems about all the characters who lived in this medieval kingdom. But it wasn’t quite enough. She wanted to bring the characters to life and did so by throwing herself into the craft of doll making. All of her skills for creating beautiful things, her mind full of the world of Shakespeare and her vast knowledge of England allowed her to truly create a vibrant, diverse and magical kingdom. Her creation of the Kingdom of Hamelot ultimately resulted in three books and more than 40. She shared the Kingdom of Hamelot with people through many readings in both Utah and in Washington state.

Sharon and her family were rocked and never the same after her son Joey died by suicide in 2018. The wicked challenge of bipolar disorder had not only found Sharon, it also afflicted both of her children. For Joey it was just too much. The pain of losing a son is something no parent should experience. But Sharon’s own struggle with the disease gave her a deeper sense of understanding.

Once again, Sharon turned to her passions to heal. In the last years of her life she found much joy in creating beautiful cards for holidays and occasions to send out to friends and family. Her cards were filled with quotes, artistically arranged adornments and love. Eventually she was mailing cards to nearly 50 people at least six times per year. She was so happy to bring a little bit of joy to peoples’ lives.

Sharon lost the love of her life, Joe, in 2024. The love story of Sharon and Joe was strong throughout their long lives together. They simply adored each other through thick and thin. For several years before Joe passed away it was Sharon’s turn to help with the dark malady he faced dementia. She knew just how to be with him and make him feel “normal.” She became Joe’s confidante about his fears and struggles with the loss of his memory.

Losing Joe was a profoundly scary time for her, but Sharon took joy in moving to Seattle to live with her daughter Connie and her husband Bruce. The change brought many new experiences to her. Connie, Bruce and Sharon became a trio, enjoying movies, sports, food and family. She would want it to be mentioned that one of her newly loved passions was Formula One racing. She never missed a race. She saw the beautiful young men and their racing machines as her grandsons. Although she couldn’t watch the final race of the 2025 season, was delighted to hear that Lando Norris, one of her “boys” won. She said, “Oh, Lando! I’m so proud of you,” upon being told he was the new world champion.

On December 11, with classical music filling her room and beloved cat Lovey by her side, a “flight of angels” (Hamlet, Act IV, Scene II) sang our beautiful Sharon to her final sleep and out of pain.

Sharon leaves behind her daughter Connie, her son-in-law Bruce Lunceford, her “forever” daughter-in-law Carol, her grandchildren Conley Watts, Alex Pehrson (m. Andrew Pehrson) and Maxwell Watts Korsmo. She also loved and was loved by her stepgrandchildren Sydney, Jack and Zoe. She was a proud great grandmother to Alex and Andrew's children Griffin, Ellie, Benji and Hannah. Sharon left behind dozens of friends and family and of course her beloved cat Lovey who will now be loved by Connie and Bruce.

Sharon bids adieu to all and rejoins her husband Joe and her son Joey. And perhaps, just perhaps, finally she can have a long chat with William Shakespeare.

Sharon loved spring and shoving off the “winter of our discontent” (Richard III, Act I, SceneI). With that in mind, a spring Celebration of Life of Sharon is planned for the evening of April 23 which is also the birthday of William Shakespeare. The celebration will be full of joy, memories, music, food, and readings of her poetry and, of course, gems by the Bard!

“Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more

Of dumps so dull and heavy

Since summer first was leafy.

Then sigh not so,

But let them go,

And be you blithe and bonny,

Converting all your sounds of woe

Into hey nonny, nonny.”

Much Ado About Nothing, Act II, Scene III