Obituary for Sharon Kay (Mickelson) Anderson

Sharon Kay (Mickelson) Anderson, 79, passed away from this life early Sunday morning, July 2, 2023, at Bethany Life Communities in Story City, Iowa after a battle with cancer.

In keeping with Sharon's wishes, there will be no funeral and her body has been cremated.  Her family will be receiving family and friends at a Celebration of Life luncheon from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Kanawha Lutheran Church on Saturday, July 15.  

Sharon was born on June 22, 1944, to Bonita Mickelson in Belmond, Iowa, and was raised by her grandparents, Samuel and Nettie Mickelson.  She graduated from Belmond High School in 1962.  After high school, she worked as a medical secretary for Dr. A.M. Nelson.

On February 18, 1968, she married Arlan Anderson of Kanawha at Trinity Lutheran Church in Belmond.  They made their home in Kanawha where they raised their three children.  She and Arlie were constant companions to each other until his death in 2012.  She supported him in his interests whether it was showing quarter horses or showing the antique cars he restored.  She happily went along just to be with him.  They enjoyed going out country dancing and performing with their dance club, Doc’s Dancers, and getting together with friends to play cards.

Sharon was a homemaker who packed and served a lot of “field meals” and was readily available to give a ride to Arlie as they moved from farm to farm.  Once her children got older, she returned to the workforce. First, she worked as a part-time receptionist at the medical clinic in Kanawha and then worked part-time as a member of the kitchen staff at Kanawha Community Schools.  She would eventually work full-time as a paraprofessional at West Hancock schools until her retirement in 2019.

Sharon faithfully attended her grandchildren’s activities.  She rarely passed on a day of shopping and loved a good deal—especially if it was shoes.  She was a fan of sports and enjoyed watching the Cubs, the Vikings, and the Cyclones. She liked to get together with her friends to play dominos. Sharon loved all animals, but she especially loved dogs.  Her dogs, Fritz, Norm, and Norma were very important members of the family.  

A woman of faith, Sharon was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Belmond.  Sharon was active at Kanawha Lutheran as a member of the Sunday School Board of Education and the women’s circle.  She was also active in community activities serving terms on the Kanawha Community School Board, the Labor Day Youth Activity Committee, and helping with Girl Scouts.  If her children were involved, she willingly volunteered to help in any way.  Her family was everything to her.

Sharon is survived by her daughter, Lori Ratzke of Dows, sons Andrew Anderson (Amy) of Reinbeck and Jonathan (Jen) of Hudson; grandchildren Jacob (Ryley Heffron), Taylor and Ethan Ratzke, Zachary Anderson and Cassie (Jim) Shipley, Madison Resendez, and Joselyn Anderson; 9 great-grandchildren; sister Joan Dejno of Cook, Minn.; brothers-in-law Dean (Daphne) Anderson of Huxley, Larry (Darlene) Anderson of Kanawha, and sister-in-law Barb (Bob) Hegg of Windsor, Colo., and several nieces and nephews.

She was proceeded in death by her husband Arlan, son-in-law Rick Ratzke, step-father Douglas Sharp, sister Vicki Sokoloski, and her mother and grandparents.