Sharon Augusta Preuss

Sharon Augusta Preuss (née Jones), a woman whose life was a tapestry quilted with family, faith, and service, passed away peacefully on Mother’s Day 2024, leaving behind a legacy woven with love, resilience, and a deep commitment to those she held dear. Born on September 12, 1938, in East Detroit, Michigan, Sharon was the daughter of Paul and Augusta (Spies) Jones.

In the spring of 1959, Sharon added new blocks to her quilt, exchanging vows with Rolland William Preuss, her beloved Rollie, after meeting him on the back of a bus traveling between Valparaiso University and Davenport, IA. Those infamous Pinochle games ultimately led to their partnership, rooted in shared values and mutual respect, that blossomed into sixty-five years of unwavering devotion and boundless love. Together, they taught a family of four children—Eric, Brian, Lisa, and Craig—not only the game of Pinochle, but everything necessary to stitch together more panels to Sharon’s quilt.

Sharon’s quilt of life is defined by a steadfast commitment to service, perseverance, faith, adventure, and education. An avid quilter and sewing magician, she stitched together the lives of three generations of her family: Sharon was preceded in death by her siblings, Marge (Krampits), Larry, Paul, Darlene (Sass). She is survived by her younger brother, Rick, her husband, Rollie, her four children, Eric, Brian, Lisa (Walton), and Craig, her 11 grandchildren, Matt, Lindsay, and Aaron (children of Eric and Debbie [Strable]); Zach, Ethan, and Emma (children of Brian); Lincoln, Becca, Will (children of Lisa and Jim Walton); Nathan and Aelin Hunt (children of Craig and Suzanne [Potter]); and four great-grandchildren: Auni and Aiden, children of Ben and Lindsay (Preuss) Anderson; Beckham and Holland, children of Ethan and Caitlin (Weathers) Preuss.

Beyond Sharon’s creative pursuits, her love for manual transmission cars was a testament to her adventurous spirit—embracing each twist and turn with unwavering determination and a spirit of exploration. Sharon’s journey was marked by milestones of academic achievement at various institutes of higher learning, culminating in her graduation from Western Michigan University in 1988.

Sharon’s occupations in life were as varied as the fabrics she used in her quilts. From an office assistant, elementary school teacher, teacher’s aide, library aide, stringer and columnist for local weekly newspapers, trainer and installer of computerized office equipment, to a system and programmer analyst at Pharmacia and Upjohn until her retirement.

Sharon Augusta Preuss leaves behind a tapestry of memories woven with love, her spirit forever stitched in the hearts of those who were privileged to share in her journey. As we bid farewell to a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, sister, daughter, and friend, we can find solace in the knowledge that Sharon’s quilt will endure as a testament that guides us until we meet again with all the saints in the embrace of eternity. In lieu of flowers or gifts, memorials can be made to: Valparaiso University in memory of Sharon Preuss or Zion Lutheran Church in memory of Sharon Preuss.