Obituary of Sharon Lee Tegart

We have lost one of our earthy angels.  On June 7, Sharon Tegart left us after a lengthy but valiantly fought battle with cancer. 

She was born in Calgary on October 28, 1943, to Pat and Hilda Patterson, and older sister Patricia.  She grew up in Irricana and while she was a good student and very athletic, she had only one real interest – horses.  When she wasn’t on her horse, she was talking about, drawing, dreaming about horses.  It would be a lifelong passion.

In her teen years she started barrel racing and goat tying competitively.  Her love of rodeo would set the course of her life.  She was crowned Calgary Stampede Queen in 1964, and this is how she met her cowboy, Happy Tegart.  They were married in 1965, and had many adventures on the rodeo circuit, and living in various places in BC, Alberta, and Prince Edward Island.  In 1974, they returned to Alberta with their son Rob Drew (quite the souvenir) and finally settled in the Keoma area on their very own half section of land, Justanother Farm in 1976.

Sharon was very clear that she was not a farm wife – she was a farmer.  As she and Happy ran a cattle fitting business and raised their own herd of purebred Charolais cattle, Sharon also did all the books and once Rob was older, she began working off the farm, most notably as a school bus owner/operator.  Her bus kids brought her so much joy. As well, she was a presence in the Ag building (later the Agrium Centre) during the Calgary Stampede for more than 25 years, giving everyone their marching orders and keeping everything running smoothly.

Amidst all this, Sharon always made time for her horses.  Shortly after returning to Alberta, she started the Irricana 4H Country Riders and was a 4H leader for more than 40 years.  She believed wholeheartedly in the values that 4H instilled in young people.  After moving to the farm, she and Happy began breeding Paint horses and Sharon attended horse shows far and wide every summer.  They even hosted the occasional Paint show at the farm.  Later Sharon also developed a keen interest in driving horses.

Becoming a grandma was Sharon’s greatest joy.  While she was the first to admit she “didn’t do babies”, she adored her grandkids and spent as much time with them as she could.  Whether it was cheering them on at their hockey games, Easter egg hunts on the farm, or special trips with them, these were times she most looked forward to and cherished. 

Sharon will be best remembered for her giving nature.  She was always volunteering for one task or another, and cooked continually, feeding not only her family but neighbors, friends, and members of her church community.  Anyone who was ever fed by Sharon will remember her as a fantastic cook.

Sharon is survived by her son Rob (Mel) and grandkids Kasper, Klover and Kayman, her four-legged baby Hugo, her niece Michele (Bill) and children Madeline and Tate, nephew Blake and his sons Charles and Michael, and her “Italian son” Ceasare Tibaldeschi and his family.  She has so many close friends it would be impossible to list them all, but we hope you know how much you each meant to her.  She was truly one of a kind.  She has left her mark, and the world is truly a better place for having had her in it.

A special thank you to Dr. Fanning for the exceptional care he provided throughout her journey, the nursing staff at Strathmore hospital who made her last days comfortable, and Pastor Dawn Nelson, who has provided so much love, care and compassion, not only to Sharon, but to all of us. 

The Celebration of Life for Sharon, will be held on Wednesday, June 14, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. at the Hope Community Covenant Church, 245 Brent Blvd, Strathmore, Alberta

To watch a live stream of the service, click here.