Sharon Marie Skage
Sharon Skage (April 6, 1958 - August 1, 2025)
It is with the heaviest of hearts that we mourn the passing of Sharon Skage, at the age of 67 years. She left this world peacefully, at home, surrounded by her loving family.
She will be forever loved and remembered by her daughters, Jennifer Skage and Kristen (Tim) Kuhn; grandchildren Catharina, Gabriella, and Henry Kuhn; sisters Carol (Jim) Whitney and Marion (Len) Thompson; as well as numerous relatives and loving friends.
She was predeceased by her beloved parents, Bob and Phyllis Munson.
Sharon was born in Blairmore, Alberta, and grew up in Sylvan Lake and Red Deer. She loved the outdoors and wild spaces, finding joy and peace in the mountains.
Sharon had an extraordinary career, spanning areas as diverse as creating literacy programs in a women’s penitentiary, founding the beloved Edmonton institution Mandolin Books, and finally as a senior editor with Hansard at the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. While literacy is a common thread in her career, it was a fundamental desire to make the world a better place, and to live her values everyday, that underscored her many achievements.
Sharon’s adventurous spirit brought her to Patuanak, Saskatchewan, where she welcomed her first daughter. Moving to the Prince Albert area a few years later, her second daughter was born. Being a mother and grandmother was one of the greatest joys of her life, as was sharing her love of adventure and the outdoors with her family.
A celebration of Sharon’s life will be held on August 22nd, from 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m, at the Parkallen Community League Hall in Edmonton. All are welcome. Donations in her memory can be made to the Nature Conservancy of Canada if desired.
The family wishes to thank the staff and volunteers at the Cross Cancer Institute for their kind and excellent care.
We are so sorry to hear that Sharon has died. We remember her as a generous person who was always interested in others and easily formed a close connection with so many people. We have happy memories of staying with her while we went to Edmonton Folk Festival. She was well loved and a truly beautiful person.
Ann and Rory MacDonald
My sincere condolences to Jennifer and Kristin and family. Though we didn’t see each other often in recent years I have fond memories of Sharon from the numerous women’s hiking weekends, to her time living in the Highlands neighborhood and opening Mandolin Books and more recently sharing a birthday lunch at the Millcreek Cafe as our birthdays occur in early April.
Sharon was a lovely person and will be missed by many friends.
Sandy Moffatt
I’m so deeply sorry to know of Sharon’s passing. She was a true friend for many years, and an outstanding colleague in the 1990’s in her solid family literacy work. Her profound understanding of literacy issues, her respectful approach with families, and her integrity in always ensuring best practices in programming were critical qualities in the early development of family literacy in the province.
And in her role as a founding member of the Centre for Family Literacy in Edmonton, Sharon’s influence was substantial and lasting. I will always remember her with a smile for the many adventures and laughs we shared during those heady development days! Our friendship has been mostly of the written kind in recent years, but I will greatly miss her warm and affectionate messages. My sincere sympathies to all her family, and especially to Kristen, Jennifer and her three precious grandchildren who will miss her most of all.
I was very sorry to hear about Sharon’s passing. My condolences to family and loved ones during this difficult time.
I had the privilege of working with Sharon for over a decade, and it was clear that she cared deeply about the quality of her work as an editor in the public sector. She is remembered as a lovely person with a sharp mind, and many will miss chatting with her about shared passions such as music and the outdoors.
So sad to hear of Sharon’s passing. I worked with Sharon at the Legislative Assembly Office. She was such a lovely person. So kind, always smiling, and a pleasure to work with. I’m happy to have known her.
My deepest felt condolences to Sharon’s family for your loss. I got to know Sharon through her Mandolin Books and Coffee, a special place to meet up, and then later had the great privilege of working with her at the Legislature. A truly special and gracious person who did make the world a better place.