Sharon M (Pietrek) Jirik, age 80, of Savage, MN, passed away peacefully into the arms of the Lord surrounded by her family, on January 16, 2023, after a courageous battle with Parkinsons.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, January 24, 2023, at 11 am, with a time of gathering from 9-10:45 am, both at St. Michael Catholic Church, 16400 Duluth Avenue SE, Prior Lake, MN. Father Tom Walker will preside. Sharon will be buried later at a private family burial at St. Isidore’s Catholic Cemetery, in Sturgeon Lake, MN. Memorials are preferred and will be distributed in Sharon’s memory, by the family.
Sharon was born on July 2nd, 1942, the second of three children and the only girl born to Ed and Helen Pietrek. She grew up in Sturgeon Lake, MN and graduated from Willow River High School in 1960, where Sharon excelled as a member of many activities and clubs. She was honored to have been chosen as the homecoming queen and was voted the most humorous and most athletic her senior year.
Sharon married her husband Frank on September 8, 1962, at St. Isidore’s Catholic Church, in Sturgeon Lake. They had three children and raised their family in Eagan, MN, until they relocated to San Jose, CA, in 1990. Retirement brought them back home to Minnesota in 2000. Their home was always open and because of this they made lifelong friends wherever they went.
Sharon was a master entertainer and a welcoming hostess. From fancy dinner parties to grilling she was always excited for company. Sharon’s table settings were legendary, always set for the occasion down to the smallest details. She was well known for driving all over town just to get the best of everything to compliment a meal or party….to a fault at times! Sharon was famous for her homemade buns and cabbage salad, the recipes now passed down to her kids and grandkids.
Sharon loved to gamble. Quality time at the casino included her favorite Deuces Wild machine. She loved to take her grandkids with her on her birthday and delighted in giving each of them $20 to play with Granny. There were endless card games with family and friends. She loved playing bingo, and she discovered how fun pull tabs were. Sharon was quick to insist you ‘Pay!’ when you lost, and this included the grandkids. Whether it was Kings Corner, Poker, (bleep) On Your Neighbor or any other game, they came prepared with their quarters.
Sharon loved the cabin. 4 th of July festivities at Sturgeon Lake complimented her birthday and she was always thrilled to be surrounded by her extended family and friends. Sharon loved to be in the middle of all the commotion and she never wanted to miss a moment of what was happening. There was no such thing as too many pontoon rides, too much polka music or too much time spent by the fire. The cabin was her happy place.
Polka music was in her blood and man could she polka! She passed the love of the music to her kids and grandkids; there are numerous spontaneous polka dances to remember! No one was a better guest “singer” (yeller!) for the polka tune Ei Ei Ei O than Sharon Jirik.
Sharon was devoted to her family, friends and anything she was involved with. Sharon was faithful. She had an endless sense of humor that delighted almost anyone she was around! Sharon did or said crazy things that just made others laugh. And she always had a smile on her face even in her later years with Parkinson’s. With her diagnosis Sharon never complained even when she had every right to. Sharon continued to live life to its fullest and was always willing to do anything and everything that family and friends were a part of.
Special thanks to the staff at Savage Senior Living and Minnesota Hospice. Your care for Sharon, and for us, in her final days gave us comfort and peace.
Sharon is survived by her daughters, Becky (Gordie) Markstrom, Chell (Scott) Swanson; daughter in-law Teresa Jirik; and seven devoted grandchildren, Tony (Laura) Markstrom, Alyssa (Matt) Markstrom, Taylor (Dave) Santoro, Addison (Eric) Thorn, Scotty (Marta) Jirik, Dillon (Nicole) Swanson and Alex (Morgan) Swanson. Sharon’s first great grand baby will be arriving in June. Also survived by brother, Jerry Pietrek,; sisters in-law, Alice (Lee) Seurer, Katie Adamek, Mary Lou Jirik; cherished nieces, nephews and a heart full of priceless friends.
Sharon is preceded in death by her husband Frank; son, Scott; parents, Ed & Helen Pietrek; brother, Dennis Pietrek; mother & father in-law, Frank and Celia Jirik; sisters and brothers in-law, Carole Pietrek, Margie & Brownie Smith, Mary & Jerry Griffin, Charles Jirik, Leonard Jirik & Shirley Hackelmeyer, Ronnie Adamek and Monnie & Ted Jirik.
