Sharon Robinson continues her celebration in the Communion of Saints with her passing on May 8, 2013 following a four year struggle with the ravages of ALS. She passed away in the presence of her daughters, her son-in-law, her brothers and sister, their spouses and a very close friend.
Sharon Marie Robinson was born in Great Falls on November 8, 1951 to James H. Robinson and Geraldine Ann (Sullivan) Robinson; the fourth of seven children.
She attended St. Helena Grade School, Helena Central High School and graduated from Helena High School in 1970 after transferring from Central for her senior year due to the closing of Central, the previous spring. She graduated from Carroll College in 1974 with a B.A. degree in Medical Records Management. While at Carroll she was active in Spurs and Student Council.
Her medical records training served her well during her entire professional career beginning at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane. She returned to Helena as Resident Director of Carroll’s Guadalupe Hall and as an instructor of Medical Records Management. Sharon continued in the medical records field serving in positions with the State of Montana Vital Records and Statistics-Tumor Registry, the Disability Determination Bureau and the Boulder River School and Hospital. She also administered medical records for St. Luke’s Hospital in Ronan, the Montana-Wyoming Foundation for Medical Care and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana. She left her position as the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Senior Director of Integrated Healthcare Management in April of 2011 due to the effects of her disease.
Sharon and Glen Cuchine were married at St. Mary’s Church on May 24, 1980 amid the dust covered lilacs following the eruption of Mount St. Helens. To that marriage were born Catherine Marie and Kerry Ann Cuchine.
Sharon met and ultimately became engaged to Fred Armstrong her devoted partner and friend in December, 2007. Wedding plans were put on hold due to her illness.
Sharon lived a life of unconditional love and support for her daughters and her large extended family. She dearly loved and doted upon her grandchildren. She provided lifelong support for her widowed mother until her passing in May of 2004.
Sharon was a very private and gracious person. Her quick wit, sense of humor and compassionate caring for others were hallmarks of her personality. She was a consummate, dedicated professional who could be counted on by supervisors, co-workers as well as those she supervised. Her love of God and commitment to the principles of her Catholic faith guided her values and daily decisions.
She most enjoyed spending time with her daughters, grandchildren, son-in-law, friends, siblings and in-laws at any family gathering and especially at the family cabin at Canyon Ferry. She especially enjoyed and looked forward to the monthly gathering of her life-long CGU friends. Since being incapacitated, she treasured visits by the close friends she had developed over the years.
Sharon was a great cook and skilled baker. Her chocolate chip cookies were an attraction for many who attended the family tailgate functions at Carroll football games. She always set aside a portion of the batch for Coach Mike Van Diest and Monsignor Harrington and even left the recipe and directions to her children and siblings to continue the tradition.
Sharon will be missed by all who knew her but we are comforted by the fact that we all have a new guardian angel.
She is survived by her daughter Catie Cloninger, Catie’s husband Mike and their children Marelee and Madelyn, her daughter Kerry Cuchine and her significant other, Mike Bolmeier, her fiancé Fred Armstrong, her best friend and devoted sister Mary Pat Charlton and her husband Van, brothers and sisters-in-law Bob and Louise Robinson, Mick and Nancy Robinson and Ed Robinson and his fiancée Irina Smirnova of Helena, Tom and Pat Robinson of Phoenix, AZ and Joe and Judy Robinson of Billings and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, special uncle Fr. Joseph P. Sullivan, and sister-in-law Lorelee Robinson.
A Vigil Service is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Monday, May 13, 2013 at the Cathedral of St. Helena. A Funeral Mass is set for 12:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 14, 2013 at The Cathedral of St. Helena, 530 N. Ewing St. with a reception to follow the Mass in the Brondel Center of the Cathedral. Private family burial will take place at Resurrection Cemetery. In lieu of flowers or other memorials, Sharon suggested making a donation to the Robinson-Sullivan Scholarship Fund at Carroll College, the beneficiaries of which are needy and deserving students from Helena and southwestern Montana.
Service Schedule
Vigil
6:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.
Monday May 13, 2013
The Cathedral of St. Helena
530 N Ewing St.
Helena, Montana 59601
Funeral Mass
12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Tuesday May 14, 2013
The Cathedral of St. Helena
530 N. Ewing St.
Helena, Montana 59601
Reception
1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday May 14, 2013
The Cathedral of St. Helena Brondel Center
530 N. Ewing St.
Helena, Montana 59601
Service Schedule
Vigil
6:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.
Monday May 13, 2013
The Cathedral of St. Helena
530 N Ewing St.
Helena, Montana 59601
Funeral Mass
12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Tuesday May 14, 2013
The Cathedral of St. Helena
530 N. Ewing St.
Helena, Montana 59601
Reception
1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday May 14, 2013
The Cathedral of St. Helena Brondel Center
530 N. Ewing St.
Helena, Montana 59601
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Jen, Jack and Aris says
Sharon’s smile, positive attitude and cheer will truly be missed. I am so thankful for our weekly visits this past year and all the stories and laughs Joan and I shared with you. Sending many hugs to the girls and family. You all have a special place in my heart. Sharon was such a beautiful mother to her girls, loving grandmother to the little ones and a wonderful friend. Rest now in peace! My prayers and sympathies are with all of you. Love you!
Michelle Dickey says
Sharon made the world a better place in which to live with her kindness, warm smile and the ability to make you feel as though you had known her forever. My heartfelt sympathy goes out to all of her family and very devoted girlfriends. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers…Michelle Dickey
Wayne Nankivel says
I had the pleasure of working with Sharon at Blue Cross Blue Shield, and am so glad I did. She had such a great smile and sense of humor. I remember stopping and visiting with her about what was going on around us, and she always was so happy to talk about her kids and how she loved them. We can be happy with the great memories she gave us and know how blessed she is to be home with our Lord. He sure got himself a special angel with Sharon…
Bernie McCarthy says
All our family send our prayers for Sharon and for her loving family. A great friend, a bright smile, courageous always and an inspiration to us all. May the angles of the Lord carry her gently into the loving arms of God our Father. May she rest in peace eternally. God bless.
Paul Maloy says
I met Sharon when I was student at Carroll College and although we probably didn’t interact for more than a few minutes at a time or even a total of a couple of hours in total over the last 35 years, you didn’t need to be close to her to be touched by her. The shortest of visits with her was always uplifting in that she made you feel special by the attention she gave you and the warmth she radiated. She lived life lovingly and I’m very grateful to have witnessed her remarkable example of how God intended for us to treat others…. even those we only share a few minutes with as the years go by. May God bless her and be of comfort her family.
John E. Andrew says
Sharon eptomized the best of values: She was courageous, strong, intelligent, giving; She was the consummate mother, sister, aunt, friend, fan. Gerry mentored her well, but she took all of that and placed her own spin on it and raised the bar higher and higher. Too young… too young…too
Jacqui S says
Words can not begin to express the gratitude I possess for the opportunity I was so gratefully blessed with in the time I got to know Sharon. What an amazing woman with an amazing family! I can thankfully say I am a better person today because of the impact Sharon had on my life. Sharon was so strong, courageous, loving, intelligent and
inspiring…to say the least. The love her heart possessed for her family and friends was beautiful and real. God gained an amazing Angel!!! I will forever miss you.
flossie says
Another Earth Angel has been taken to the other side. My Mom and Dad, Flo and Chris Gartman never forgot the kindness that Sharon bestowed upon them when they came to visit me from Calif. and came to BCBSMT to see my workplace.
Way too soon for you to leave yet it seems as though you are needed elsewhere. A gentle and considerate soul just barely touches the surface of you as a human being. You will never be forgotten. I feel honored to have known Sharon and am saddened by her passing.
My thoughts and prayers are with the family of this truly incredible individual.
Peter Armstrong says
I’ve only met Sharon twice since she and my brother became close but each time that I was in her presence I was struck by her warmth, genuiness and interest in others. She also struck me as having such a strong sense of family. When you enter this earth one of the most valuable contributions that you can make is your creation and perpetuation of family. It seems that Saron truly took this responsibility to heart and indeed she left her lasting mark. It was a joy to have met you Sharon and I thank you for the years of joy and lasting memories that you have given my brother. Indeed – you will be missed.
Peter
Ellen Rae Thiel says
Sharon was the supervisor of Medical Records at Boulder River School and Hospital and I was one of the Medical Record Clerks. I was taking a correspondence course to become
an Accredited Records Administrator and she was always so much help to me. Everyone always liked her the first time they met her. She was an inspiration and so helpful to me. She was only there for about a year when she left to to teach at Carroll. I then became the supervisor and was so glad to have had her as my mentor. We did not keep in touch much after she left but I always was glad when I happened to see her and have a visit with her. I will be thinking of you girls in your time of sorrow.
Ellen Rae
Geri Funk says
I haven’t seen Sharon in years, but I have lasting memories of her as the one who made everyone in Guad Hall feel at home. Sharon’s warm greeting, bright smile, and twinkling blue eyes…these were vividly present each time she stopped to visit. And she had a knowing understanding that our learning at Carroll always included time for fun. What a grand lady and blessing to us all! My condolences go out to all her family and friends.
Geri
Melanie & Joe Ruby says
We met Sharon 3 years ago, when she stopped and introduced herself, when we were building our new house next door to her. We were immediately impressed with what a warm and wonderful person she was, and were delighted to know that we would have such a lovely next-door neighbor. Every visit with her was a joy, and we found that her daughters were equally wonderful. We were so saddened the following year when we heard that she had been diagnosed with ALS. Sometimes the best among us is taken too soon. The earth has lost a truly beautiful soul. Rest in peace, Sharon, and our heartfelt condolences to all of your family.
Susan Deming says
Yesterday I walked past your old family home and asked God to bless Sharon and the family. I cannot attend the services but will hold all of you in my thoughts and prayers.
Sara Graveley-Knigge says
I will always remember Sharons smile and her warmth. She never hesitated to stop and chat about anything and everything – as a former collegue of BlueCross BlueShield, I had the utmost respect for her. I know she will be missed by so many – Kerry and Catie, my daughter Kaila sends her condolences to you both. Mary Pat -my prayers are with you and I am so sorry for your loss.
Tom & Lori Gustin says
On behalf of the Neuhardt and Gustin families, we offer our most heartfelt condolences to the family. Sharon was a wonderful person and she will be deeply missed by all of us. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and her warmth and presence will always be felt at the lake.
Joe and Robin Petkewich says
Our deepest sympathy to the family of Sharon.
You are in our thoughts and prayers.
Patty Elliott says
I was truly saddened by the loss of Sharon. We job-shared together the Montana State Tumor Registry back in 1980 at the Cogswell Bldg. We had a new office with an awesome window!!! What a special lady. She impacted my life with her kindness, quick wit, and intellect…I will miss you Sharon!!!!!!