Jean LaVonne Sharp

Jean LaVonne (Moon) Sharp, known to many as Auntie Jean, and to the students of

Crosby-Ironton Schools as Gramma Beehive due to her distinctive hairstyle, passed away

at the St. Cloud hospital on October 27, 2023.  She was 87 years old.  She was an avid and

skilled gardener, a meticulous housekeeper, a lover of decorating and entertaining for both

family and her numerous friends, a rock solid supporter of Crosby-Ironton students and

activities, a longtime collector of antiques and vintage items, a wonderful cook, an instructor

of ceramic painting, and a firm follower of the Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. 

Jean was a volunteer at the Crosby-Ironton grade school for many years.  She loved to work in the library and particularly enjoyed helping Scott Ruffing in rehearsals and presentations of his music students.  She became something of a surrogate grandmother to many of the small

students there. She often gave hugs because, she said, that might be the only hug that child

got that day.

Jean was born to Howard and Virginia (Valiquet) Moon on March 3, 1936, in Bay Lake Township

at what was known as the 18-mile store.  Her family soon became Dairy farmers at their small farm on the Deerwood Shortcut, and her earliest memories were of the farm and delivering milk with her father in the town of Crosby. She became, like her siblings, a member of 4-H and exhibited both at the Crow Wing County fair and the Minnesota State fair.  It was on that small farm that she met the love of her life, Harry (Bud) Sharp, after she was tossed into the silos where he was filling silo with corn silage.  They would marry on June 18, 1955, and be together for nearly 68 years until his passing in May of this year.  Jean’s sister married Bud’s brother, James Sharp, two years later, and the two families remained close to the present day.  Jean was Auntie Jean to many nieces and nephews, particularly Gordon, Daniel, Joel and Laurie Sharp, and was a very large supporter of them all their lives.  In addition, Lynn (Kehl) Justesen also made her home with the Bud Sharp family.

Jean is preceded in death by her husband Harry (Bud), her parents, Howard and Virginia Moon, brother George Moon, son Kevin in 1981, granddaughter Maria Oravetz and great granddaughter Mia Schommer.  Jean is survived by her son Allen (Kathi) Sharp of Deerwood and daughter Shari (Kurt) Oravetz of Monticello.  She is also survived by grandson Jacob (Ashley) Oravetz of Maple Lake, granddaughters Anna Oravetz of Duluth, Kara (Ryan) Stechnij of Brainerd, Nicolle (Brandon) Hines of Becker and Monica (Jeremy) Schommer of Sartell.  Two siblings also survive Jean, Jane (Gary) Hegland of Deerwood and Harold (DeDe) Moon of Ironton.  She is survived as well by nine great grandchildren: Jimmy, Miley, Maggie, Kayden, Logan, London, Laken, Reid and Colter.

Jean was a friend to way too many to name.  A wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, sister, aunt, helper, and supporter of a large family, she embodied all that is good about the term “matriarch” a center pillar of a family.  As her friend Scott Ruffing said, “her legacy will endure forever in the hearts and minds of the Go-CI-Go! Community.  We miss her already.

GO-CI-GO!

A Celebration of Life will be at a later date.  Arrangements are with the Koop Funeral Home in Crosby.