Sharon Kay (Brandt) Gustafson passed away on Monday, November 8, 2021 after a short battle with cancer. She was born on August 19, 1937 to Lawrence and Mabel (De Roost) Brandt in Green Bay, WI.

Sharon  enjoyed many pastimes in her life starting at a young age. From age 4 to 11 she took dancing lessons and performed recitals on the stage at the Bay Theater (now the Meyer). She recalled what people told her happened when she was around 4 years old and was dancing in a baby chick costume. At the end of the routine Sharon was out front a little too far and the curtain closed behind her leaving her out there all by herself trying to find a way to get behind it. One can imagine the audience giggles there must have been. The fondest memories she had from those dancing years was that her mother hand made almost all of her beautiful costumes until she unexpectedly passed away.

She also had fond memories of spending time with her grandparents Anna and John De Roost in Green Bay.

As a young girl and teen, Sharon loved spending her summers in Milwaukee with her aunt and uncle (also her godparents) Nettie and Leo Schutta and her cousin Leon. She was the quiet shy one, and he was the daring one and they had lots of fun times. For special family time the four of them used to often go fishing.

Sharon was a 1955 graduate of West High School in Green Bay and had many special memories of the times she spent with her friends Lois (Gustafson) Beno, Judy (Duquette) Baye, Charmayne (Cavil) Gracyalny, Janice (Wilson) Gracyalny, Carol (Bitters) Laabs, Evelyn (Gillis) Laabs, Janet (Barlament) Mc Rae, Judy (Rodaer) Wendricks, Sue (Schwartz) Blinstrub, and Lucille (Le Mere) Sobiesczyk. And the friendships never stopped for the last 66 years.

In 1958, Sharon married Ronald Gustafson and they had one daughter, Cheryl.

Sharon enjoyed and was known for her sewing which she was good at like her mother, and especially for her knitting pieces. She made hand knitted baby sweaters since 1967 for most of her nieces and nephews, and then later their children too. It became a family tradition. She also loved playing cards and games, especially with her neighbors, Kathy and Tony Baldwin.

Sharon is survived by her daughter, Cheryl Gustafson; ex-husband and friend, Ronald Gustafson; three cousins, Jane (Roland) Babka, Leon (Terry) Schutta, and Mary (Steve) Kolross, three sisters-in-law, Lois Beno, Patsy O'Connor, and Bonnie Mac Donald; one brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Gary and Ilene Gustafson; three godchildren, Jodi Beno, Jeff Oryall, and Deanna Leanna; and many nieces, nephews, neighbors, and friends.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents; parents; aunts and uncles, Teresa and John Vanden Plas, Nettie and Leo Schutta, Milton De Roost, Bill and Geraldine De Roost, Ethel and Elmer Giese, and Myrtle Brandt; cousins, Evelyn Gegare, Donald Smith, Russell Giese, Elmer Giese, Wallace Giese, and Marion Olejniczak; brothers-in-law, Ed Beno, Larry O'Connor, and Mike Mac Donald; godson, Steven O'Connor; special cousin, Donna Oryall; and friend, Judy Wendricks.

Family and friends may gather at Blaney Funeral Home, 1521 Shawano Ave., from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, November 15; concluding with a Parish Wake Service at 7 p.m. Visitation will continue at St. Agnes Catholic Church, 1484 Ninth St., from 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, November 16; followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. with Rev. Patrick C. Beno officiating. Masks will be required for all in attendance. Entombment will be in Fort Howard Memorial Park. To send online condolences, please go to www.BlaneyFuneralHome.com.