Sharon Lea Knepper

Sharon was born to Carl H. & Reba O. (Downing) Reiser on September 13, 1942 in Valentine, Nebraska & was welcomed home by brothers Merle & Larry along with sister Carolyn who arrived 2 years later at the ranch northwest of Brownlee, Nebraska. She attended Brownlee Elementary & then Valentine High School Graduating with the Class of 1961.

On August 6, 1961 she was “United in Marriage” to Bob Knepper, son of Robert & Maxine Knepper in Valentine, Nebraska & began married life at their new home in Grand Island, Nebraska.

In May 1965 American Crystal Sugar Company where Bob was employed closed their facility in Grand Island & rather than transferring to their new plant in northern Minnesota, Sharon & Bob moved back to the sandhills where he found employment with Abbott’s/Bank of Valentine, and added to their family with the birth of Robert Eugene on September 16, 1965.

August 1969 provided another move when Bob transferred to Abbott’s/Bank of Hyannis where they lived, worked & enjoyed their next 20 years with the outstanding people of that area, along with church & school activities.

Sharon & Bob then moved to Loveland, Colorado where they had honeymooned back in 1961, with Sharon becoming involved in civic activities as Vice President & then President of the Loveland Newcomers Club which she truly enjoyed & made for a lot of new friends in the Loveland area.

Then Walmart came calling, the Loveland “Fabric Department” was looking for help as their Manager was going on maternity leave & pretty much nobody in the department to fill that position. Sharon had made her own wedding dress, along with other dresses, etc. to include an outfit for a black-tie dinner at the Cornhusker Hotel in later years, so was pretty qualified for the job & was made Department Manager within the first month, a job she loved & enjoyed for the next 20 years.

After retirement Sharon enjoyed joining Bob on some of his business travels into Mexico, South Padre Island, etc. Their get-away place in later years was The Stephanie Inn, Cannon Beach Oregon where she always said “they still know how to pamper & please even us old spoiled ones."

Sharon was preceded in death by her parents, Carl H. & Reba O, Reiser - parents-in-law, Robert & Maxine Knepper - brother, Merle D. Reiser, sister-in-law Mary Ann Reiser - sister-in-law Norma Jean Stevens – brother-in-law, John C. (Jack) Stevens & brother-in-law Duane Porath.

She is survived by her husband, Bob Knepper - son, Robert Eugene Knepper & daughter-in-law Kathy Knepper – sister, Carolyn Porath – brother, Larry Reiser – sister-in-law Norma Reiser – brother-in-law, Lee Knepper along with god-daughter, Tiffany Schroder Barthel. Her cousins, nieces, nephews & special friends, who were all very important to her over the years.

A Celebration of Sharon's Life will be held at the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Thedford, Nebraska on Saturday, August 2, 2025 at 10:30 a.m., along with Inurnment at Hillcrest Cemetery in Thedford.