Sharon Kay Rieger, a third-generation Colorado native and longtime resident of Grand Junction, died peacefully at home on the evening of Wednesday, June 5, 2019 with her family by her side. Sharon fought her short battle with cancer with bravery, grace and a good sense of humor. She is missed by a multitude of family and friends whose lives she touched in big and small ways. She left us too soon…
Born August 2, 1943 in Kremmling Colorado to Clyde and Bernice Overholt, Sharon spent her childhood in the small towns dotting the tracks of the Rio Grande Railroad where her father worked as a foreman. After graduating high school, Sharon moved to Denver where she worked as a switchboard operator for Ma Bell until the lure of adventure took her to the Taos Ski Valley. She was working at a ski lodge there when she met, and ultimately married, a handsome skier from Germany, Hans Rieger.
Hans and Sharon settled in Aspen in 1966, where they became the proprietors of The Alpine Lodge for more than 25 years. Sharon worked tirelessly behind the scenes, sharing her quiet hospitality with customers who felt more like extended family, returning year after year. She and Hans raised three children among this close-knit family of guests and busy lodge life. She loved her kids and made each of them feel uniquely special and supported. She was the hub through which everyone, family and friends, stayed connected.
From Aspen, Hans and Sharon migrated West to a home with a view of Mt. Sopris, to expansive hayfields on the Rieger Ranch, to the desert shadows of the Colorado National Monument, and finally to her Lakeside home. No matter where Sharon landed, her creative vision came to life in each and every room. She had a knack for making a house feel like a home: elegant, comfortable and welcoming.
Truly, Sharon loved nothing more than planning something! From trips to dinner parties, to her famous yearly Christmas letter. She expressed her creativity in the details. The birthday cakes she baked as a volunteer for hospice always impressed with her ability to capture a complete stranger’s wishes in one small work of art. Anyone that ate one of her meals would assume she loved to cook, but it wasn’t the cooking she enjoyed so much as designing a menu, inviting the people, and setting a beautiful table.
Her spirit shone through to the last. In her final weeks she insisted on one last road trip. She took such pleasure in planning a house boat trip to Lake Powell. And she did it, passing away only a few days after coming home.
Sharon was generous, gracious and kind. She was also stubborn and strong. She loved her family, friends, pets and grand pets fiercely. And they loved her back, immensely.
Sharon is survived by her beloved husband of 54 years, Hans; her children and their spouses Andrea and Steve, Tanya and Brian, Mike and Shannon; her brother Bob and his wife Sharyn; her dearest cousins Virginia and Karen; her childhood best friend Sue Jean, and all those who ever had the distinct privilege of sitting at her table.
A Celebration of Sharon’s life is planned for Sunday August 4th, 2019 at Redland’s Community Center in Grand Junction, Colorado from 3-7 pm. In lieu of sending flowers, please consider planting flowers in Sharon’s honor or sending a donation in her name to your favorite charity.
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