Kay Sharrit

Kay Sharrit of Jacksonville, FL passed peacefully on July 8, 2019 after 92 years. She will always be remembered for her soft-spoken kindness and absolute devotion to her husband, family and time-honored friendships.

In 1927, Katherine May Bittner was born to Edgar and Helen Bittner in Akron, Ohio. She grew up to be Kay Sharrit-a quick insightful thinker with a creative imagination and a love for story telling and never-ending laughter. She married Tommy Sharrit her high school sweetheart in 1945, a marriage lasting 74 years. Kay was the mother of two boys and Nana to four grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. She gifted her entire family with a sense of wonder, a love for adventure, and the willingness to disregard convention. She gave to us her unconditional love, a big smile, a positive attitude and how to be a good friend.

Kay was fun and funny, a bit mischievous, always spontaneous, and never missed a family outing or party or Cypress Village bingo. Years earlier, Kay was an avid golfer, having logged two holes-in-one.  She was a night owl who loved an adventure, a big fan of the Florida Gators, and enjoyed sitting around for hours sharing her stories (some over and over). She never met a stranger and always had a big "Hello" and kind word for everyone she encountered. Kay was an active member and loved her many friends at the Ponte Vedra Methodist Church.

Kay’s life was happy and fulfilled, but her greatest joy came from being a wife, a mom and simply Nana. She guided her family with love, grace, and gentle strength and her legacy will always be found in the love of family she proudly leaves behind.

While raising her family in Ohio, Kay volunteered with the Ladies Auxiliary of the Uniontown Fire Department, and proudly served as Worthy Matron in The Order of the Eastern Star in Canal Fulton, Ohio. From Cub Scouts, to the PTA, to the high school booster’s club, Kay was always the creative one and right in the center of it all.

Nana will be lovingly remembered by her husband Tommy; sons, Tom Sharrit, Jr. (and Patti) of Rancho Santa Fe, CA, and Ed Sharrit (and Bonnie) of Orlando; four grandchildren, The Honorable Michael Sharrit (and Lisa) of Jacksonville, Wendi Sharrit Spear (and John) of Atlanta, Christine Sharrit of Orlando and Katherine Smith of Cleveland, NY; eight great grandchildren, Haley, Emmie, Ryan, Jake, Bella, Dustin, Brandon and Devin were the center of her universe. She will be missed by her siblings C.C. Bittner (and Janice) Lakemore, Ohio, Margie Worstall, Akron, Ohio, Shirley Walh, Green, Ohio, Cindy Lixey (and Denny) Marysville, Michigan and Lenora Devitt of Carrollton, Ohio.

Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Thursday, July 11th in Quinn-Shalz Family Funeral Home. The Funeral Service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, July 12th in Ponte Vedra United Methodist Church. Interment will be held in Jacksonville National Cemetery.

Mom, you are continued well in your children of all generations, in every quilt created with love and imagination, in your classic culinary creations and those incredible deserts, in clean sheets blowing on a clothesline in northeast Ohio and on porches during summer rainstorms.