Sharlene Favre

Sharlene was born Sharlene Lorraine Smith on July 24, 1957, in Niagara Falls, New York, to James and Margaret (Rew) Smith. She graduated from Niagara County Community College and later worked as an executive assistant at Price Waterhouse in Buffalo, New York, where she met the love of her life, Donald Favre. Sharlene and Don were married in 1982 and shared 44 years of marriage filled with love, devotion, and adventure.

Together, Sharlene and Don built a beautiful life, having two children, Matthew and Lori, moving to New Jersey in 1988 and then to Manhattan in 2011. Upon Don’s retirement in 2019, they relocated to Siesta Key, Florida, which became their little slice of paradise.

Throughout her life, Sharlene embraced many meaningful roles, all rooted in her deep faith and caring spirit. She was an active member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Princeton Junction, New Jersey, where she devoted herself to Christian Education, particularly working with children. She had a natural gift for connecting with children, who loved her warmth and kindness. This same nurturing spirit shone through in her work as a preschool teacher and as a Girl Scout leader, where she helped young people learn, grow, and feel loved. In every role she took on, Sharlene found joy in guiding, supporting, and caring for others.

Sharlene’s most cherished and natural role in life was always that of a mother, and later, a grandmother. Motherhood was more than just a role to her; it was who she was at her very core. She had an innate nurturing instinct that extended far beyond her own children, embracing anyone who looked to her for love, guidance, comfort, or support. She devoted her life to being the very best mother she could be, always going above and beyond to ensure her children felt loved, cared for, and supported.

Sharlene was incredibly nurturing, patient, fun-loving, silly, and a joy to be around. She had a special way of making those around her feel safe, welcomed, and loved. Her love was evident not only in the big things she did, but also in the countless little ways she showed up for the people who mattered most to her. While she wore many hats throughout her life, the common thread among them all was her boundless capacity to care for others.

Throughout years of medical procedures, pain, and challenges, Sharlene remained optimistic and courageous. Her strength, kindness, and loving spirit touched all who knew her.

Sharlene is survived by her devoted husband, Donald Favre; her children, Matthew Favre and Lori (Robert) Hartigan; her cherished granddaughters, Charlotte and Magnolia Hartigan; her sisters, Linda Foster, Cheryl Pardee, and Bonnie Weaver; her brother, Jeffery Smith; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, James and Margaret Smith, and her sister, Susan Palmer.

The family will receive friends and loved ones at a Celebration of Life gathering on Thursday, October 22, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Robert Toale and Sons Celebration of Life Center, 7454 South Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34231. A Service of Commendation/Resurrection will be held on Friday, October 23, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Armand’s Key Lutheran Church, 40 North Adams Dr., Sarasota, FL 34236.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Sharlene’s memory to Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, or Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

Sharlene will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered.