Sharlene Growcock Obituary (1941 - 2023)

Sharlene Bigelow Growcock, 81, passed away peacefully and surrounded by family on October 29, 2023. She was born November 29, 1941 in Price, Utah. She was the first of seven children born to John and Twila Bigelow. Sharlene married her eternal companion, Brent Growcock, on January 26, 1962 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. This marked the start of a long and loving relationship and the beginning of Sharlene's beloved family. Sharlene was raised in Green River, Utah. She experienced a rich childhood in this beautiful and peaceful setting. Her youth was filled with many memorable family activities. She learned her strong work ethic early on, helping out with family chores and working in restaurants at a very young age. She often helped her mother with childcare and household duties, getting groceries and assisting the rest of the family with her father's large watermelon farm. Sharlene had fond memories of playing and holding family events at the farm, including sometimes having cookouts, which involved making bonfires and roasting hot dogs and marshmallows. Sharlene recalled that as a young girl, the family at times also kept some animals, including chickens, a cow, pigs and some horses. Sharlene found plenty of time to have fun while growing up. As a young girl, she liked playing with dolls, especially with her sister Sherry. She also took dancing lessons and even performed sometimes at weddings in town. She enjoyed being a cheerleader and participating in other school and church activities. She liked maintaining a good appearance and this led to her interest in attending beauty school. She received her beautician's license after finishing her training and this led to a nearly lifelong career as a hairdresser. This seemed to be a perfect fit, as Sharlene truly enjoyed helping and serving others and could earn money doing something she loved. She worked in various beauty shops over the years and also took clients at home for many years. In the last half of her career, she worked in assisted living facilities and seemed to enjoy this the most. Sharlene had many faithful customers over the years, many of whom became her close friends. She was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints throughout her life and held various leadership and teaching positions. She especially liked working with children in the church's primary system. Her faith in God was strong and she had a solid testimony of the truthfulness of the church. But Sharlene didn't just practice her faith on Sunday. She realized that being spiritual also included selfless acts of kindness and she strove to provide these to others her entire life. The focus for all things she did was rarely on her, but on family, friends, and even strangers. Service to others was the main purpose of her life. One thing she placed a high importance on was acknowledging the birthdays of all family members. It didn't matter how large the family got, she still made a point to give each individual a card and gift on birthdays and holidays. This continued her whole life. She was an accomplished cook and immaculate housekeeper. Even these aspects of her life linked back to family, as she absolutely loved preparing for and hosting family gatherings. These memorable times also included a lot of good food, fun interactions and enjoyable conversation. Her interest in cooking began with her mother, Twila, who taught her many useful skills. One of Sharlene's particular interests for many years was making homemade candies. She took classes to learn how to make a variety of sweet treats that included chocolates, mints, caramels, and more. Her candy creations became a favorite of family members and friends, especially around the holidays. She also liked canning a variety of fruits and vegetables, which she would use throughout the year. Sharlene was naturally a very funny person. She especially loved telling stories about experiences that happened in daily life. She could act out humorous scenarios that entertained all those around her. And she didn't mind making herself the butt of the joke. She could be self-deprecating and never took herself too seriously. Most conversations with Sharlene included moments of laughter. She was a gifted piano player and had the unusual talent of playing a variety of music solely by ear. This skill provided her many hours of enjoyment and entertained those around her. Her "peppy" playing style was a signature and delighted those she played for. She continued to play right up to the end of her life. Sharlene had boundless energy her entire life. She always loved being on the go and was rarely seen sitting down. She also really liked driving and could be impatient behind the wheel. She liked driving fast when she could, and this occasionally drew attention from the law. Sharlene faced many health challenges over the years. But she always showed great resilience, always pushing forward and preferring not to dwell on the negative. When dealing with major health issues, she chose to look forward positively, often shifting the concern of others into a light moment that ended in laughter. Sharlene enjoyed traveling, especially road trips to southern Utah. She fell in love with the area's red rock landscapes at a young age and enjoyed returning to the area as often as possible. She particularly enjoyed long, leisurely road trips with her husband to places like Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Moab, St. George, and Cedar City. The two also liked taking Sunday afternoon rides through the mountains and canyons closer to home. In her free time, Sharlene liked shopping, eating out and catching up with family and friends. She also enjoyed attending church activities and performances such as plays and concerts, parades, and holiday celebrations. She also liked collecting a variety of home decorations that she put up for each season. And Sharlene enjoyed gardening, especially planting and caring for colorful flowers. She took pride in making her yard beautiful. Sharlene was preceded in death by her parents, John Bigelow and Twila Hunt Bigelow, and her brother, Devere Bigelow. She is survived by her children, Kim (Brenda), Bryan, Troy and Shawn (Cindy), her siblings, Sherry Tanner (Fred), Devon Bigelow, Larry Bigelow (Sandi), Kirk (Deanna), Kerry (Tonya), 14 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. A funeral service will be held on Friday, November 3, at 11 am, at the North Ogden 6th Ward chapel, at 770 East 2100 North. A viewing will take place before the funeral from 9:30 to 10:30. A graveside ceremony will be held on Saturday November 4 at noon before the burial at Elgin Cemetery in Green River, Utah. The family wishes to thank all of Sharlene's dear friends, neighbors and church leaders who have given her continued support and provided many acts of kindness over the years. A special thanks is extended to the many staff members at Legacy Park Lane assisted living facility in Farmington, who have dutifully and lovingly served Sharlene over the past year.