Pauline Sharma

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Pauline Sharma, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, and friend. Pauline passed away peacefully on September 27, 2026, at age 74, surrounded by her family, following a long and courageous battle with Primary Progressive Aphasia, a form of frontotemporal dementia.

Pauline was born in New York in 1952 and was raised in the Bronx and Westchester County, New York. From an early age, she was exceptionally bright, curious, and creative. She excelled in school, graduating from high school at just 16 years old. She went on to study fine arts, architecture, and photography at Lehman College and Parsons School of Design. She later worked for Citibank and Smith Barney as a bond trader before returning to college at New York University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in finance, economics, and accounting, while also completing master’s-level coursework.

It was in New York City that Pauline met the love of her life, Thakur. They met on Manhattan’s Upper East Side in May 1972 and married in November 1973, beginning a life together that would span more than five decades. They raised three children and eventually made their home in Old Greenwich, Connecticut.

For Pauline, family was always at the center of everything. She left her career in finance to devote herself to raising her children and serving the community. She was active in the Parent Teacher Association and the League of Women Voters, but her involvement went far beyond attending meetings. Pauline was a natural advocate—determined, compassionate, and never afraid to speak up when she believed something needed to change.

When she noticed that the only walking route between her home and the local elementary school was a dirt path, she organized and led a campaign to persuade the town to install sidewalks, creating a safe and walkable connection from the north side of town to the school. This was quintessentially Pauline: she saw a problem, believed it could be better, and set about making it better.

When her children were older, Pauline fulfilled a lifelong dream of becoming a medical practitioner. At the age of 40, she returned to graduate school to become a physician assistant. She later worked as an EMT for the Town of Greenwich and in private practice in the fields of ear, nose and throat, dermatology, and gastroenterology. She eventually founded Patient Advisory Services, where she guided individuals and families through the medical, financial, and logistical challenges of managing chronic and terminal illnesses.

Yet Pauline’s life cannot be measured by her education or career. She was a woman who found joy in creating, nurturing, gathering, and giving.

She was an extraordinary cook and her baking was legendary among family and friends. She was a gifted entertainer who loved bringing people together around a table. She loved the ocean and being on the water, whether sailing, kayaking, or even stand-up paddleboarding.

But perhaps nowhere was Pauline more herself than in her garden.

Over the years, she transformed the area around her home into a beautiful and abundant organic garden filled with flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Gardening was both her passion and her creative outlet. She planned each garden bed, tended to her plants for countless hours, and took pleasure in watching everything grow. The garden became a gathering place for family and friends—a place to eat, drink, laugh, relax, and enjoy the beauty she had created.

Service to others was woven throughout Pauline’s life. She was an active member of the Garden Club of Old Greenwich and served as a chaplain for local churches and organizations, bringing comfort and companionship to people who were sick, elderly, or in need. She regularly prepared homemade meals for local soup kitchens and shared the bounty of her garden generously: donating flowers, fruits, and vegetables to those in need, and contributing copious amounts of seedlings to plant sale fundraisers. She never seemed to view these acts as extraordinary. To Pauline, caring for other people was simply what you did.

She also had a wonderful sense of adventure. Pauline loved to travel, particularly with her family, and together they explored nearly every continent in the world. She treasured the experiences they shared and the memories they made along the way.

Pauline leaves behind her beloved husband of 52 years, Thakur Sharma; her children, Mark Sharma, Sharon Patel (Sujan), and Lisa Creighton (Will); her grandchildren, Penelope, Heloise, Wesley, and Rose; her sister, Ann Marie Hefele; and a wide circle of extended family and friends whose lives were brightened by her presence. She was preceded in death by her parents, Nicholas and Mary Hefele, and her brother, Thomas Hefele.

A visitation will be held at Leo P. Gallagher & Son Funeral Home, 31 Arch Street, Greenwich, CT on Friday, October 2, 2026 from 4-8 pm. A Catholic funeral Mass will be held at St. Catherine of Siena Church, 4 Riverside Avenue, Riverside, CT on Saturday, October 3, 2026 at 11:00 am. For those unable to attend in person, the funeral mass will be livestreamed.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Pauline’s honor to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD): https://www.theaftd.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/