Lora “Lorie” Sharpe, age 69, passed away on Thursday December 12, 2024 at the Sharon S. Richardson Community Hospice Center after a three year journey with ovarian cancer. She was born on January 10,1955 in Newton, lowa and shortly after birth was adopted by Leroy and Carol Steffen of Sheboygan. Lorie attended Sheboygan area schools and graduated from North High School in 1973.
Lorie was united in marriage to Steve Sharpe on October 4, 1974. The couple recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary while she was a patient at St. Nicholas Hospital.
Lorie worked at the hospital from 1979 until 1990 as a pharmacy tech and scheduling manager and she always appreciated the excellent care her family received there over the years.
Lorie was gifted with excellent computer skills and attention to detail and in 1990 she used these talents to open her own typesetting business, Sharpe Creative Graphics. She supplied prepress graphics to printers throughout Wisconsin, specializing in medical forms for hospitals and doctors. Due to changes in the graphics industry she closed her business after 25 years. In retirement she worked part time at Evans in Sheboygan Falls, a job she truly enjoyed.
In 1980, Lorie and Steve went to lowa on an adoption search to find her biological family. She located her mother Betty Manz with whom she had a wonderful relationship until Betty’s passing in 2023. With Betty’s assistance, she discovered that her biological father was deceased but that he had a family of his own. Contact was made with the Neely family, also in lowa, and they readily accepted Lorie as a member of their family. She truly cherished the relationship she had with her four brothers and one sister and their families and friends for over forty years.
Lorie was a generous person who was always doing something kind for someone. She was a talented seamstress and quilter and every project she did had to be perfect. Lorie loved to cook and bake and the meals she prepared for family and friends were always the best. She never found a recipe that she wouldn’t tweak at least a little bit to make it just right. She cherished time with her grandchildren and truly enjoyed sharing her talents for cooking, sewing and crafting with them.
Over the years, Steve and Lorie traveled throughout the United States. She loved everything Amish and many trips were made to Indiana to furnish her entire home with Amish oak furniture and wrought iron pieces. Special memories were made when they toured the Western States with their grandchildren especially exploring the caves at Wind Cave National Park and visiting Old Faithful at Yellowstone. Lorie and Steve appreciated the Winter vacation times spent with their friends Ruth and Judy at their home in Apache Junction AZ.
Lorie is survived by her husband Steve, son Peter and his wife Jenny, four grandchildren, Alexa (Darnell) Williams and Kacie, Lauren and Joseph Sharpe and a great grandson Finley Williams.
She is also survived by her four brothers Russ (Jeri), “Rocket” Kevin, Bob (Sandy) and Rick (Tuesday) Neely and a sister Sue Huffman, and Steve’s family Mike (Lisa), Bill, Joe (Rhonda), Mary (Mark) Lohse, Dorothy Burley and many nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents, Leroy and Carol Steffen and Russell Neely and Betty Manz.
A funeral service for Lorie will be held at 4 pm on Wednesday December 18th at the Wenig Funeral Home 108 Center Avenue in Oostburg. Visitation for family and friends will take place from 1 pm until 3:45 pm. In keeping with Lorie’s tradition of wonderful meals and warm hospitality a Celebration of Life will be held at The Village at 170 immediately following the service. A private family burial service will be held at the Immaculate Conception Church Cemetery.
We sincerely appreciate all the care given to Lorie by Dr. S. Mark Bettag and his entire staff and the comfort shown to her by all the wonderful caregivers at the Sharon S. Richardson Community Hospice. And also a special thank you goes to Ruth Ferg for all the time spent and compassion shown to Lorie during her journey. Your kindness will never be forgotten. Memorial funds in Lorie’s name will be donated to the Sharon S. Richardson Community Hospice and the Sheboygan County Cancer Care Fund.
Wenig Funeral Home in Oostburg (920-564-2771) is assisting the family. Please visit wenigfh.com for online condolences.
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