Sharon E. Muran (nee Barrett) passed away on February 19, 2021 in Arlington Heights, Illinois at the age of 77.

Sharon was born in Madison, Nebraska to the late Seymour and Kathleen Barrett (nee Ward) and was raised in Council Bluffs, Iowa. She excelled in school and was valedictorian of her high school graduating class. Upon graduation, Sharon moved to the Chicago area to work for United Airlines. She subsequently married and started a family.

As she was raising her family, Sharon earned a Bachelor's degree from Northwestern University and two Master's degrees from the University of Illinois-Chicago. Sharon touched many lives through her work as a nurse and a nurse practitioner at Glenbrook and Evanston Hospitals and then as a healthcare consultant, helping her business clients develop employee wellness and disability management programs.

Sharon was an incredible mother who raised four children. She taught them to be independent thinkers and compassionate human beings and ensured they understood the importance of family. She instilled in them the love of education and life-long learning and, where appropriate, encouraged them to challenge the status quo. Sharon also taught her children to love life, to set goals, and to be all that they wanted to be. She tirelessly listened to them, offered them advice, and then gave them the space to fail while ensuring a safety net was in place.

Whether it was caring for a patient, delivering work for a client, or making sure a family member or friend received the advice they needed to get through a health crisis, Sharon's compassion for her family and others was extraordinary. Her compassion for her fellow human beings extended to animals. Upon retirement, Sharon donated her time and energy to assisting local animal shelters, becoming a big advocate of the Young at Heart Senior Pet Adoptions organization, and fostering, adopting, and caring for dogs.

Sharon is survived by her children, Steve Muran (Suzanne), Lisa Votzmeyer (Ray), Amy Felton (Thad), and Joe Muran (Katie), her six grandchildren, her brother, Tim Barrett, her former spouse, Tom Muran, and many family and friends throughout the Chicago area and the U.S.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift in Sharon's name to Young at Heart Senior Pet Adoptions or the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Due to the pandemic, a celebration of Sharon's life will be held at a later date.