Sharon Diericks

WAUNAKEE-Sharon Kay (Vlasak) Diericks of Waunakee passed away on November 10, 2022, after a 3+ year battle with metastatic breast cancer.  She was born in Richland Center on October 14, 1947, to Florence (Leatherberry) and Wesley Vlasak.

As a child, Sharon moved several times to towns with a cheese factory where her father worked as a master cheesemaker or as a Fuller Brush Man.  She graduated from the brand-new Sauk Prairie High School in 1965.  Sharon met her sweetheart and future husband, Kenneth Diericks on a blind date set up by Sharon’s brother, Bernard.  Ken and Sharon were married on August 27, 1966, in Waunakee where they lived together all their married life.

In high school, Sharon worked during the summer as a live-in nanny for the Jerome Mullins family.  She enjoyed the years she worked for the Mullins family, later leading student housing cleaning crews for their family business each summer for many years.  Sharon worked at Graber’s in Middleton in the early years of marriage.  After the births of her dear daughters, Kim and Lynnette, Sharon provided day care in her home to many children over the years.  When husband, Ken retired, Sharon also retired so they could travel.  Sharon enjoyed their many trips, stopping at various famous sites and trying their luck at casinos in different states.  Sharon and Ken shared a love of country music and enjoyed many visits to the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.  They enjoyed so many great music events and concerts together.

Sharon was a kind person and had a talent for making life-long friends. She enjoyed bowling on the Orchids by the Ackers ladies bowling team even winning the league championship.  Sharon was able to get people to work together on civic projects for the community.  In the 1970’s and 80’s, she was actively involved with the Jaycettes organization and held several different offices enjoying a busy year as the president.  Because of her hard work ethic, she received several awards for her leadership. She also served as Treasurer for the National Catholic Society of Foresters Chapter in Waunakee.

Sharon enjoyed the friendships and camaraderie she shared belonging to the local TOPS group and meeting for Scrabble games at the Village Center.  Sharon was an amazing Scrabble player!  She was masterful at getting high scores with her strategy and double word making.

Sharon was thoughtful and kind to everyone.  She would make meals for friends who lost loved ones or to cheer you up if someone in your family was sick.  Sharon was proud of her ‘short order cook’ skills.  Just ask any of the kids she babysat for—bologna sandwiches tasted better when she cut them in small triangles!  She was a wonderful wife and mother and beloved by the many people she babysat for.

Sharon is survived by her devoted and loving husband, Kenneth; daughters, Kim (Mark) Pilgrim of Sun Prairie and Lynnette Diericks of Watertown; brothers, Brad (Bernard and wife, Barbara) Vlasak of Baraboo, Jeff Vlasak of Norwalk, and sister, Shirley (JJ) L’Eplattenier of Menasha; brother-in-law, David (Sue) Diericks of Tucson, AZ; and sister-in-law, Marianne Diericks of Woodbury, MN.  Sharon cherished time spent with nephews, Grant, Alexander, Andrew, Austin, and Brian; nieces, Gabriella, Barb, Michelle, Dominique, Michele, and Jennifer; great-nephews, Carter, Nicholas, Immanuel, and Isaiah; and great-nieces, Olivia, Lilian, Calliope, Christina, Brianna, Elliah, Elliana, Ashlyn, Lucy, Stella, Evelyn, and Mabel.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Florence and Wesley Vlasak; her mother and father-in-law Bernadette and Raymond Diericks; and sister-in-law, Marilyn Kesselhon.

Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, November 16 at 11:00 a.m.  St. John the Baptist Church in Waunakee. Msgr. James Gunn will officiate.  Friends may call at the church from 9:00 a.m. until the time of services.  Burial will follow at the church cemetery.

Winn-Cress Funeral Home

5785 Hwy Q Waunakee