Sharon Ann (McMaster) Parker's Obituary
Sharon Ann (McMaster) Parker was born on October 20, 1956, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to Janet Louise (Chester) Clenney and Amiel McMaster. She passed away on December 11, 2025, in Renton, Washington. A devoted educator and loving mother and grandmother, Sharon lived a life centered on education, music, and family.
At a young age, Sharon moved with her father and sister from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to Southern California, where she lived with her father, grandmother, and uncle Rocky. She attended school in California and developed a lifelong love of reading, including books, poetry, and stories that could transport her imagination. Sharon also had a deep passion for music and singing, which remained a cherished part of her life.
Sharon went on to build a family, welcoming three children: Phyllis Ann, Amanda Elizabeth, and Frankie Jr. In the early 1980s, she relocated to Washington State with her children, where she worked in the restaurant industry and as an office assistant.
Sharon held a deep and unwavering belief in the power of education. In the early 1990s, she began pursuing her dream of becoming a teacher at Yakima Valley Community College, where she earned an Associate of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education in 1993 with high honors. She was actively involved in campus leadership, serving as Student Council President, a member of the Tenure Review Committee, and contributing as an English tutor and member of the Five-Year Strategic Plan Task Force. Sharon continued her studies at Central Washington University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Education with a major in Early Childhood Education and a minor in Elementary Education in 1996, graduating Summa Cum Laude as a Dean’s Scholar and recognized as Outstanding Student Teacher of the Year. She pursued further graduate coursework toward a master’s degree in Reading, completing her studies in the summer of 2004. Throughout her academic career, Sharon’s scholastic excellence was consistently recognized with repeated placement on the Dean’s List and the President’s List.
During her career, Sharon taught students across various grade levels, ultimately finding her greatest purpose in teaching kindergarten. She believed that educating children at the very start of their academic journey allowed her to positively shape their lives and instill strong foundations before negative habits could take hold. Sharon served as a kindergarten teacher for many years with the Tacoma School District until her retirement in 2021. She was known as a patient, dedicated, and passionate teacher who cared deeply for her students and their growth. In addition to her work in the classroom, Sharon was a mentor to many other teachers, sharing her knowledge, guidance, and passion for education to help them grow and succeed.
Above all, Sharon loved her family. She is survived by her daughter, Phyllis Ann Colletti Ermey (Steve), grandsons, Steven I. Ermey III and Nicolas Andrew Ermey; granddaughters, Meira Amend and Clare Ann Colletti-Mruzik (Nicholas); great-granddaughter, Chloe Mruzik. She is also survived by her sister, Debra McMaster Henson, and half-sisters Deanne Clenney Wilk and Karen Clenney Gordon (Barry). She was preceded in death by her two beloved children, Amanda Elizabeth Colletti Amend and Frankie Andrew Colletti Jr., her mother, Janet Clenney, and her father, Amiel McMaster.
Sharon will be remembered by her children and grandchildren as a devoted and nurturing mother and grandmother who cherished lifelong family traditions, treasured holiday gatherings, and the sharing of memories, and by all who knew her for her dedication to education, love of music, gentle spirit, and the lasting impact she made on generations of children.
A service to honor Sharon’s life will be held at Mountain View Funeral Home.
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