Sharon Marie Davidson

Sharon Marie Davidson (River) came quickly into the world. She was born in Edmonds, Washington on October 26, 1975, the oldest of three children to John and Debbie Davidson. She was dedicated to the Lord as a baby. Sharon was baptized at Ronald United Methodist in Seattle. Sharon gave her life to Jesus as her Lord and Savior in her youth.

Sharon enjoyed doing many things. In early childhood her dad taught her how to play the piano. Another father-daughter endeavor was building a dog house. She thought it great sport torturing her mother with joke books and pulling out her gray hair one strand at a time. Many a summer was spent at the Y learning to swim or being in gymnastics. Drawing, reading, writing poetry, photography, and watching movies were amongst her many interests throughout her life.

She was surrounded by lots of special people. Family gatherings at Grandma Terry's and Grandpa Chuck's house or Aunt Sheila's and Uncle Tom's or at Aunt Sandie's and Uncle Sam's provided good memories. Wonderful friends and neighbors like Clara and Warren Borg and Godparents Marlene and Duane Johnson were an important part of her life. Aunt Sheila (Auntie Nana) and Uncle Tom took her with them on some of their trips. Later when the family begin attending Everett Christian Missionary Alliance Church she was very involved with the youth group and developed some great friendships. Holly Lange McFarland was part of that group and was later nicknamed Coach Holly for helping with Sharon's first pregnancy.

Big family trips included going to Ohio and Indiana, the Canadian Rockies, and Mount Rushmore. The families favorite camping trip was trekking over to Dungeness State Park over in Sequim. For many years it was a highlight before school began in the fall. She also enjoyed her time on Whidbey island where Clara and Warren had beach front property and the family would go for the day or the weekend. It seems that her most liked adventures involved the sea.

Her elementary school education was at Everett Christian School. Later she attended North Middle and then on to Everett High. At 16, she was enrolled into Northwest Modeling school and built a beautiful portfolio of photographs. The modeling group was so taken with her, she was offered the opportunity to model in Japan. In 1993, she completed high school through a home schooling program while caring for her wonderful first child, Anthony. In order to complete the requirements for graduation she chose to do community service at the Wildlife Care Center in Granite Falls later to be renamed Sarvey. She actually started the ball rolling where the family became involved with volunteering there. Sharon had a love for all animals. She went to Everett Community for a short time.

Being a single mother, she needed to find work and one of her first jobs was at a nursing home in Marysville, Madeline Villa. She later worked at different mall stores, her favorite being Natural Wonders. While working at one of the stores at the Everett Mall her car broke down and was introduced to Matt Wolff through his sister Erin who worked with Sharon. They married on March 9, 1996. Sharon then had her lovely second child, Bonita, in December of that year, and welcomed her third beautiful child, Samantha, in July 1998. She loved her children. As they became a little older she tried to supplement the family income and worked at selling Avon. She then worked at McCabes as a receptionist but later found another job that she really enjoyed at Meyers Cafe on the Everett waterfront. People really liked the scones that she baked. She was good at most everything she put her energy in to. In 2005, Sharon and Matt parted ways. Sharon then went on to work for the rental business becoming a party coordinator and counter help.

Her brothers, Jim and Ben, loved their sister. As with most siblings it was not a perfect relationship, but they did have some good times together. Sharon and Ben's wife, Erin, became very good and special friends. All of these wonderful people were with her to the very end.

In 2009, Sharon met John McManis. They enjoyed being on the water on John's boat. He considered her his first mate, although they had a running joke of her ending up in the water every so often. Crabbing season was always a busy time. Trips to Langley were interesting. The water and beach were favorite places. They were planning on getting married this summer.

One of her last jobs was working part time at Homeport where she served as a bartender. There people knew her more by her nickname River. Sharon had a special empathy for those who went without or who were hurting. She befriended two women, a mother and a daughter, who lived on the street by giving them popcorn and a soft drink and paying for it out of her own pocket. She touched many lives with her acts of kindness. Whatever job she held she always maintained a good work ethic.

Sharon battled with alcoholism for many years. Sharon was a fighter; she was a strong woman who showed her tenacity through liver failure which preceded the end stages of multiple organ failure. Sharon opened her eyes in her final moment to take a last look at her children by her bedside and passed quietly and peacefully on October 14, 2015. She was surrounded by those that loved her and who did not wish to see her go. Many, many people lifted her up in prayer.

She is survived by her fiance', John, and her three children, Anthony, Bonita, and Samantha. She also leaves behind her father and mother, John and Debbie, grandmother Terry, her two brothers Jim and Ben and sister-in-law, Erin. She is also survived by her nephew Brayden. And so many others that loved and knew her. She left too soon.