Sharon Rene Furr

Cherished mother and wife, Sharon Rene Furr, 73, of Westminster, Maryland, passed from this earthly life to her eternal home in glory with Jesus our Savior on Sunday, February 11, 2024, while she was surrounded by those who couldn't have treasured her more.

She was the loving and devoted wife of Gary Vincent "Gabby" Furr, Sr. for 53 years. She was the beloved daughter of the late Sherwood Oliver "Ollie" Strickland, and the late Doris Jean Deering Strickland.

Born December 6, 1950 in Takoma Park, MD near Washington D.C., Sharon spent most of her childhood enjoying the simple pleasures of small-town living in Damascus, Maryland, where she graduated high school. As the only child of Ollie and Doris, she relished the adventure of road trips to North Carolina and West Virginia, the home states of her father and mother respectively, to visit huge extended families and enjoy all the excitement that a bevy of fun-loving cousins could offer. One of her most fond and enduring memories from when she was young, was spending long stays during the summer with her maternal grandmother, Opal Marie Deering, in Huntington, WV and attending church with her, as well as singing old-timey gospel songs together.

After their nuptials in May of 1970 at Calvary United Methodist Church in Mt. Airy, Sharon and Gary made the most of their first married years together, traveling for a few vacations abroad, and immersing themselves in outdoor pursuits. When time came to be blessed with their children, they built a home together in the bucolic hills surrounding Unionville, MD, where they raised their family and became a destination for family and friends to stop in and "visit for a spell." Once Sharon and Gary became empty nesters, they moved their household to Westminster, MD and enjoyed time exploring the local parks, walking trails, and shopping together.

Through the years Sharon enjoyed homemaking -- with unparalleled organizational skills, and clever innovations! -- as well as gardening, decorating, learning about history and researching family trees, and hunting and fishing alongside Gabby. Sharon loved the Lord and engaged herself in the study of the word through her audiobooks and worship music. She thrilled in attending all of her seven grandkids' extracurricular activities, especially as a fan on the sidelines at countless sports events -- she rarely missed a game!

Yet her most passionate lifelong endeavor was that of being a mom, and a grandmom (affectionately known as "Nana"), as she dearly loved raising her children and helping with her grandchildren, giving them the most wonderful childhoods and extraordinary memories. She selflessly filled each day with gentle care, creative play, a love for learning... punctuated with games, crafts, dress-up activities, outdoor recreation and most importantly, the opportunity to engage in meaningful time together. Sharon's caregiving knew no boundaries, as she shared these elements with many other families in addition to her own children, through her day care that she hosted for many years. Truly God blessed her with the gifts of nurture and care, which she shared so generously without hesitation, and with every ounce of her being, most especially with the little ones.

She is survived by her children, Amy M. Baird and husband Rob and their children Ashley and Gabriel of Westminster, MD; Gary V. Furr, Jr. and his wife Kristin and their children Joshua and Hannah of Mt. Airy, MD; and Nathan O. Furr and his wife Susanne and their children, Natalie, Samantha and Abigail, of Westminster, MD.

A Celebration of Life gathering will be held at Mt. Airy Baptist Church, 1402 N. Main Street, Mt. Airy, MD 21771 on Friday, February 16, 2024, beginning with a viewing and visitation at 11:30 am, followed by the service at 12:30 pm. Pastor Joshua Vogt will officiate. Interment will follow at Resthaven Memorial Gardens, 9501 Catoctin Mountain Highway, Frederick, MD.