Sharon N. Rieser

9/4/1930 — 4/27/2017

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Sharon Nielsen Rieser, age 86, passed away peacefully on Thursday, April 27, 2017 at the Good Samaritan Society-Moscow Village in Moscow, ID following a prolonged illness. She was born on September 4, 1930, in Naperville, IL to Sven Boris and Marguerite (Stenger) Nielsen.

Sharon remembered Naperville as a quiet farm community that provided her with a wholesome upbringing. She maintained lifelong friendships with the same group of girls that walked and roller skated to grade school together as well as with her classmates from high school. She was a member of the Girls Athletic Association at Naperville High School and participated in all the seasonal after school sports. Sharon had a sparkling, friendly personality that earned her the title of Home Coming Queen during her senior year. Following graduation in 1948, she honed her secretarial skills at the US Patent and Trademark office in Chicago. It was during this time that she joined the Chicago Figure Skating Club and developed her passion for figure skating.

On October 31, 1953, she married her high school sweetheart; Richard L. Rieser. That marriage later ended in 1984. Sharon was a devoted mother of three: a stay at home mom who was always available to offer her kids love, support, and attention. She was a meticulous homemaker, an excellent cook, and a superior seamstress: her love of gardening ensured a steady supply of fresh produce and flowers for the family to enjoy.

In the late 1970’s, Sharon returned to the work force as a paralegal at the law firm of Dommermuth, Brestal, Cobine, and West. She participated in a great deal of the zoning work that resulted in the planned development of Naperville. Sharon Lane, Sharon Court, and Rieser Lane were commemoratively named after her.

Sharon loved to travel, hike, and camp. She took the trip of a lifetime to Africa in 1990 where she sat amongst wild gorillas in Rwanda and saw all the big game animals of the savanna in Kenya. She backpacked in Canyonlands, the Grand Canyon, the Colorado and Canadian Rockies, and in many wilderness areas in Idaho and Montana. One of her greatest pleasures was to sit near a campfire late into the night and gaze up at the limitless expanse of the Milky Way.

1993 was a year of dramatic change for Sharon when she relocated to Moscow ID to establish herself in the western states before retirement. For a short time, she was an administrative assistant to U of I president E. Zinzer. Sharon then worked as a secretary for the City of Moscow until she retired in 1996.

In retirement, Sharon was able to embrace her love of animals. She adored dogs and over the years she enjoyed the companionship of Sasha, Kaiah, and Suki. No matter what the weather, Sharon showed up at Mountain View Park to visit with her “dog walking friends” and to watch all the dogs at play. Sharon had a benevolent spirit and thrived on helping others: she donated her time generously at Orphan Acres Horse Rescue seeking donations, writing grants, and sending out thank you letters.

Left to honor Sharon and remember her love are Sharon’s three children: Steven (Cathy) Rieser, Kim Ann Rieser, and Mark (Kathy) Rieser; three grandchildren; Tina Miller Cahoon, Kelly Jones Johnson, and Dustin Jones; 6 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Sharon was preceded in death by her parents, and her brother Dick.

At Sharon’s request, there will be no formal funeral service. An online guest book will be available at www.vassar-rawls.com. In celebration of a life well lived, the immediate family will honor Sharon’s wishes by gathering around a campfire near the banks of Marble Creek in the NE Idaho panhandle to share remembrances of her life. Memorials are suggested to Orphan Acres in Viola, ID. www.community.palouse.net/orphanacres/

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