Sharon Lee Seley

Sharon was born in the winter of 1950 in Wellington, Kansas, to Leo and Lula Dugan and was raised in the small farming community of South Haven, Kansas. Growing up in a town of just a few hundred people instilled in her the independence, determination, and resilience that would define her throughout her life. Though she would eventually call Illinois, Colorado, Arizona, Kansas, and Missouri home, South Haven always remained a special place in her heart.

In 1970, Sharon married Gary Lee Seley, beginning a partnership that would span more than fifty-three years. Together they raised two sons, Shane and Blane, while building a life filled with adventure, hard work, laughter, and friendships that endured for decades.

Sharon believed in working hard and embraced every opportunity to reinvent herself. While raising her sons in Derby, Kansas, she was very active in the Kansas Jayceettes and the Kansas Jaycee Cerebral Palsy Ranch. All the while, she built a successful career with Beneficial Finance, which later was purchased by HSBC. Under that new umbrella, she rose to run their operations simultaneously in both Oklahoma City and Denver. When she retired from HSBC, she continued to work as a mortgage broker, earning her real estate license. Then she and Gary fulfilled a lifelong dream of owning and operating Flagstaff Honda in Flagstaff, Arizona. After they sold that business she found one final career as a recruiter—a role perfectly suited to her greatest gift: connecting with people.

Wherever Sharon lived, she built a community. She had an extraordinary ability to turn acquaintances into lifelong friends and to make people feel like they belonged. Over the decades, she became a trusted source of encouragement for countless women facing difficult seasons in their lives, offering practical advice, unwavering support, and the confidence that tomorrow could be better.

After moving to Liberty to be closer to her family, Sharon found another community at The Landing. It became her gathering place, where friendships were strengthened, birthdays were celebrated, stories were shared, and laughter was never in short supply. If you spent any time with Sharon there, chances are you walked away with a smile—and probably a story you still tell today.

Her family affectionately remembers her collection of "Sharon-isms." Among the favorites were, “Here’s a tip for you… Don't eat yellow snow," and "Tan fat is better than white fat." They were unmistakably Sharon: funny, direct, and never open for debate. Sharon was also a huge Kansas State fan and rarely missed an opportunity to watch or attend a Wildcat football or basketball game.

Sharon was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Gary Lee Seley; her cherished dog, Charlie, her parents, Leo and Lula Dugan; and her younger brother, Terry Dugan.

She is survived by her sons, Shane (Denise) Seley and Blane Seley; her older brother, Larry Dugan; her grandchildren, Mattie Seley, Vivian Seley, Sophia Seley, and Catherine (Derek) Vaughn; her great-grandchildren, Graham and Della Vaughn; and many nieces, nephews, lifelong friends, and extended family members.

In keeping with the family’s plans, no public funeral or memorial service will be held. The family will privately reunite Sharon and Gary, scattering their ashes together at a later date.

If Sharon ever made you laugh, offered you encouragement, welcomed you into her circle, or simply made your life a little brighter, the family invites you to celebrate her the way she would have appreciated most: gather with friends, tell a Sharon story, laugh a little louder than usual, and raise a glass in her memory.