Sharon James

“I hid in the clouded wrath of the crowd but when they said "Sit down" I stood up.” – Bruce Springsteen

Sharon James, age 83, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Sunday, January 26, 2025. A woman of boundless energy, warmth, and love, Sharon left an indelible mark on everyone she met.

Born and raised in the tiny town of Geneseo, Kansas, with a population of less than 500, Sharon was a star student as a child. Encouraged by her teachers, she became the first woman in her family to attend college, embarking on a journey of educational achievements. Sharon earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Hawaii in English, master's degree and doctorate in communicative disorders at the University of Wisconsin and later became a tenured professor at Syracuse University. Her lifelong thirst for learning and knowledge was truly inspiring.

During her tenure at Syracuse, Sharon published a textbook titled Normal Language Acquisition, which was adopted by universities across such fields as communicative disorders, psychology, child development, and psycholinguistics. She left her tenured position to return to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she entered higher education administration, serving as both Assistant and Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs for UW Systems.

Sharon was also an active member of the American Speech Language and Hearing Association, where she served as associate editor of the Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research. Following her successful career in academia, Sharon retired to devote her energies to volunteering at CASA and the Dane County Humane Society. A lifelong Democrat, she championed human rights throughout her life.

She was dearly loved and survived by her husband, Chuck Ford. Together, they traveled the world, creating countless memories. Sanibel Island was a favorite destination, where they shared many happy moments. Sharon and Chuck also enjoyed attending Badger football and basketball games, Forward Theater, and events at the Overture Center. Their home was often filled with family, friends, laughter, and warmth.

Sharon was a devoted Mom to her two children, Julie and Scott, and cherished her grandchildren Andrew, Samantha, John, Sydney and Jake, and her great grandson Anthony. She took a genuine interest in their lives and achievements, no matter how small or large.

Sharon had a special relationship with her daughter in law Blanca. She also had a fun, loving relationship with her stepson’s David and Brian Ford, as well as their spouses Jacqui and Catherine and children Quentin, Anna and Rafa.

Sharon maintained many lifelong friendships, including with her best friend of over 50 years, Diane Bless. She had a remarkable ability to keep those bonds thriving through emails and phone calls with people across the world.

Sharon was preceded in death by her parents, Leon and Mary Thompson, and her brother C.E. Thompson.

A Celebration of Life will be held in April. The date and time of the Celebration of her life will be announced in the obituary on the Cress website. Thank you to Cress for helping with Sharon’s end of life arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Dane County Humane Society: https://www.giveshelter.org/how-to-help/in-honor-or-memorial-gifts

Please share your memories of Sharon here on her tribute wall.

Cress Center

6021 University Ave. Madison

(608) 238-8406