Sharron Jean Bohning

Sharron Jean Bohning of Saint Peters, Missouri, passed away on Saturday, March 27, 2021. She was 73.

Sharron was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on June 27, 1947, to George Howard Witherspoon and Dorothy Witherspoon (nee Warneke). Her father named her for the Rose of Sharon in the Song of Solomon.

Sharron grew up in Jennings, Missouri, with her three sisters. She was left-handed and had beautiful handwriting that was often mistaken for typewriting script. She was a Campfire Girl and attended Camp Derricotte in Cuivre River State Park. She attended Teen Town dances and learned new dance moves while watching American Bandstand. She snuck into Club Imperial and saw Ike and Tina Turner perform. She graduated from Jennings High School.

Her first job was working for Emerson Electric on the Craftsmen and Sears accounts. When she left the position, it was filled with five different people.

In 1972, she met and began dating Thomas Bohning from Berkeley, and the two were married on October 12, 1973, at Saint Aloysius Catholic Church by Monsignor Francis Doyle. They were married for 47 loving years and had one child, Stacey.

During the early 1980s, Sharron was a night manager for L.E. Smith Jewelers inside the Grandpa Pigeon's retail store on Highway 367. She was appalled when she learned that the high school students working there did not know who Sacagawea was, and she promptly gave them a history lesson they would never forget. While there, she survived an armed robbery and a tornado. She later worked part-time for American Cleaners and then left the workforce to become a stay-at-home mom so she could be there for her daughter who was being bullied at school.

Sharron was an expert at running the household and bookkeeping. She prided herself on always paying bills on time and was proud of her excellent credit score. About five years ago after multiple falls, she could no longer walk or stand and was confined to a bed for the remainder of her life. However, she was still determined to run the household from her bed. Most recently, she oversaw a kitchen remodel, and it gave her great pleasure to have it completed before her passing.

In mid-October, she was diagnosed with stage 4 terminal lung cancer. After undergoing treatment, she was thrilled to ring the bell at Siteman Cancer Center. She was under hospice care at the time of her passing.

Sharron was a devout catholic and devoted to the Blessed Mother. She prayed the rosary as meditation.

Sharron took her right to vote seriously and voted in every election ever since she achieved voting age. She made sure her daughter did the same.

Sharron enjoyed many different genres of music. She was a fan of Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, The Shirelles, Neil Diamond, Roberta Flack, Fleetwood Mac, the Carpenters, Simon and Garfunkel, and more. She loved to sing and spent many nights singing her daughter to sleep with songs like "This Little Girl of Mine," "Whip-Poor-Will," and "Rainbow Connection."

Her favorite movies included The Adventures of Robin Hood, Miracle on 34th Street, Peggy Sue Got Married, Coupe de Ville, Dead Poets Society, Renaissance Man, and National Treasure. Her favorite movie stars were Errol Flynn, Oliva de Haviland, Tom Selleck, and Colin Firth.

She instilled a love of reading in her daughter early by reading aloud to her and performing all of the different voices. She taught her daughter that she could be and do anything she wanted. If she would have had any grandchildren, she would have been a great Nana.

Decorating for the holidays was important to Sharron. Her daughter recalls returning home from college after the conclusion of one fall semester to find the house completely decorated for Christmas and carols blasting from the stereo speakers as a surprise. Sharron even made the minor holidays like Halloween special with her decorations. During her later years, she had her family mark the 4th of July and September 11 by installing mini-American flags all along the perimeter of her lawn.

Sharron is a direct descendant of Rev. John Witherspoon, signer of the Declaration of Independence for New Jersey. She was proud of the accomplishment of proving her ancestry. She was a member of the Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence and a member of the John Witherspoon Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. Recently, she was surprised to discover that she is also a descendant of William Bradford, one of the Mayflower Pilgrims.

Sharron is survived by her husband, Thomas Bohning; her daughter, Stacey Bohning; her sisters, Roxie Witherspoon and Cynthia Witherspoon; her nephews, Scott (Mary) Koob and Ken Koob; and her aunt, Georgia Warneke. She will be greatly missed by many cousins, family members, and friends.

Parents, George Howard Witherspoon and Dorothy Witherspoon; and sister, Christine Koob; preceded her in death.

A private graveside service will take place for the family at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. A private Memorial Mass is to be held at a future date.

Sharron donated to many charities during her lifetime. Memorial contributions in Sharron's name may be made to any of her favorite charities, which include Memorial Sloan Kettering, Reading is Fundamental, Christian Appalachian Project, Vietnam War Veterans Memorial, or the charity of your choice.

To share a memory of Sharron, or leave a special message for her family, please visit the guestbook below.