Sharon Tassel

Sharon was born in Breckenridge, Minnesota on December 17, 1939 to proud parents Nicholas and Mamie Gaulrapp and was the youngest of 5 children. Sharon attended St. Mary's Catholic school and was smitten by Ronnie Van Tassel, whom she met at the Roller Skating Rink. Because they attended different schools, this romance had to survive by the passing of love notes during lunch and while walking back and forth from school.
She had fond memories of those years, putting on plays and often receiving lead roles, being a Girl Scout and even being "May Day Queen" in the 6th grade.
After high school she moved to Rochester, Minnesota and began working at Donaldson's and then to IBM. Ron and Sharon met again one summer while she was babysitting on Ottertail Lake. They began dating again and got engaged that September and were married on April 19, 1958. After their wedding they moved away from home and settled in Seattle, Washington but Minnesota was calling them home. Over the years they welcomed their children Kim, Kirby, Michelle, Todd, Jason and Melanie.
Ron and Sharon owned several businesses including Automatic Garage Door and Ronson Garage Door businesses where she ran the books and kept the business organized. These years were spent raising their children while enjoying their kids sporting events, snowmobiling, card club, and Wednesday date night at the movies.
In 1984 they headed to Ottertail, Minnesota where they started Van Tassel Door and Deluxe Fish House Company. In her extra time Sharon worked for the Ottertail Lions selling pull tabs. They were their happiest in the northland where they enjoyed the lake life.
Ron had a stroke in 1994 and they returned to the Twin Cities in 1997 to be near the kids where Sharon took care of Ron for 11 of 13 years. During these years she worked for the Spring Lake Park Lions where she mastered the gift of gab while selling pull tabs- it never really felt like a job to her.
Her interests included gardening, reading, and staying connected with family and friends on Face book, Snap chat, and Instagram. She looked forward to family gatherings; especially the annual girls trips with her daughters up north where they shopped, talked late into the night, played board games, and enjoyed campfires. Her time spent with her sons included a lunch date that often ended by playing pull tabs and recalling their big wins. The boys would visit and swap stories of their jobs, travels and of the various birds they attracted to their feeders.
She enjoyed all of her grandchildren, Janelle, Brandon, Jordan, Kelsey, Tyler, Kyle, Kaitlyn, Mari, Zoey, Dane, Austin, Taylor, Amber, Andrea, Christopher; and great grandchildren Makenzie, Brayden, Peyton Paisley, Oliver, and Declan.
Sharon will be remembered for her laughter, sense of humor and her wit.
Sharon was preceded in death by loving husband, Ronald; son, Kim; parents, Nicholas and Mamie (nee Schlewitz) Gaulrapp; brothers, Lowell and Robert Gaulrapp. Survived by children, Kirby (Bertie) Van Tassel, Michelle (Mike) Majkrzak, Todd (Kelley) Van Tassel, Jason Van Tassel, Melanie (Darin) Johnson; many grandchildren and great grandchildren; siblings Nicholas (Kathy) Gaulrapp and Shirley (Don) Bolyard; cousins, nieces and nephews. Sharon was a loyal, loving wife to Ronnie of 49 years. She was a kind, compassionate, mom and grandma. She had an abundance of wisdom to share and was a blessing to all who knew her. Funeral service Friday 11 AM with visitation one hour prior at Miller Funeral Home, 6210 Hwy 65 NE, Fridley 763-571-1300. Interment Morningside Memorial Gardens, Coon Rapids. www.millerfuneralfridley.com