Sharon Kathleen Karale was born on January 31, 1945, in Detroit, Michigan, to Edward and Esta Karale. She was the youngest of three children, joining her sister, June, and brother, Edward, known as Ed. When Sharon was just three years old, the family moved to California, where she would spend the rest of her life building a home, raising a family, and creating friendships that lasted a lifetime.

One of Sharon's earliest joys was dance. As a young girl, she loved tap dancing. One of her brother Ed's fondest memories was walking his six-year-old sister nearly a mile each week to her dance lessons when he was eleven years old. It was one of many childhood memories that reflected the close bond between brother and sister, a bond that remained throughout their lives.

Sharon's Catholic faith also began early in life. She attended Immaculate Conception School through elementary and middle school, graduating with the Class of 1959. She later graduated from Monrovia High School in 1963 before attending Pasadena City College, where she served as a flag girl and earned her cosmetology license.

On May 1, 1965, Sharon married the love of her life, Paul Muszalski. Together they welcomed their daughters, Theresa and Shari. She had an incredible talent for sewing and lovingly made many of her daughters' clothes herself. She expressed her love through the things she created with her own hands and through the countless ways she cared for her family.

In 1982, Sharon and Paul built their dream home in San Dimas. Sharon had a gift for making every home feel warm, welcoming, and filled with love. Her Catholic faith remained at the center of everything she did throughout her life. She was a devoted parishioner of St. Louise de Marillac Church for many years. She and Paul became a familiar part of the annual church carnival, where they ran the "Stand the Bottle" game and enjoyed being involved in their church community.

Some of Sharon's happiest memories came from the simple traditions she shared with the people she loved. Every Easter, Sharon and her mother, Esta, made Kata bread together, carrying on a cherished family tradition. Another favorite tradition was the monthly trips she took with her mother to San Manuel Casino to play bingo. These were not simply outings. They were opportunities to spend time together, laugh, and make memories that Sharon treasured.

Sharon's caring nature also extended beyond her immediate family. She always made sure there was plenty of food to serve her guests. She was the kind of person who would make sure everyone else had eaten before she sat down herself, even if it meant eating her own meal after the food had already gone cold. Her famous rice pilaf was a staple at family gatherings and a dish that became part of the memories made around her table. For Sharon, feeding people was one of the ways she showed love.

Professionally, Sharon found her calling as a beautician. She spent many years working at The Golden Hair, where she built lasting friendships with both her clients and coworkers. Sharon had a natural ability to connect with people, and many of the people who sat in her chair became friends. In 1990, she fulfilled another dream by opening her own salon, Shar's Reflections, in Covina. Her salon reflected the person she was: warm, welcoming, and full of personality. Everyone who walked through her door was made to feel comfortable and cared for.

In 1993, Sharon and Paul began another chapter when they moved to Mohave Valley, Arizona. Sharon's entrepreneurial spirit continued as she opened Tropical Tan in Bullhead City in 1995. She later retired in 1997, giving her more time to enjoy her family, her faith, her creativity, and the many adventures that were still ahead.

In 1999, Sharon and Paul moved to Oceanside, fulfilling Sharon's dream of living near the beach. She found peace and beauty in the ocean. Sharon's artistic talents included painting and everyone who saw the beautiful beach mural she painted on her family room wall was amazed. It was a perfect reflection of Sharon, creative, colorful, and always looking for ways to bring beauty into her home.

Travel was another great joy in Sharon's life. Sharon and Paul enjoyed many memorable vacations with her brother Ed and sister-in-law Pennie. Together, they traveled to Jamaica, where Sharon loved listening to reggae music, playing pool volleyball, and enjoying her favorite piña colada soft-serve from the ice cream machine. Their travels seemed to always include the beach, whether they were visiting Maui or Cambria.

Sharon and Paul also treasured family vacations with daughter Shari and granddaughters Natalie and Danielle. They made many long lasting memories including taking not one but two eight-hour circle-island tours in Hawaii., getting caught in the rain while trying to navigate public transportation in Washington, D.C., and swimming in the ocean and collecting shells in San Felipe, Mexico. These were the kinds of experiences Sharon treasured, not just seeing a new place, but laughing, relaxing, eating, and spending time with the people she loved.

As wonderful as Sharon was as a wife, mother, sister, and friend, one of her greatest joys was being a grandmother, and later a great-grandmother. Her five granddaughters can all attest to that. She was always there with a listening ear, words of encouragement, or simply a comforting presence. No matter what was going on, Grandma Sharon was only a phone call away. Sharon was incredibly proud of her grandchildren, and she wanted everyone to know it. She would happily brag about their accomplishments to anyone who would listen, from her friends on Facebook to the nurses at her doctor's appointments. Their achievements were her achievements to celebrate, and she never missed an opportunity to tell people how proud she was of them.

Sharon's love for people extended far beyond her family. She had an incredible ability to make friends wherever she went. She could strike up a conversation with a complete stranger at the grocery store, make a joke that had everyone laughing, or turn an ordinary interaction into a meaningful connection. She had a natural warmth that made people feel comfortable, and she had a wonderful sense of humor. Sharon had the power to make people smile, whether she was cracking jokes with family members or simply talking to someone she had just met.

Sharon's greatest expression of love came during the final years of her life as she cared for Paul. As dementia gradually changed the man she had shared her life with, Sharon never wavered. She cared for him with extraordinary patience, dignity, compassion, and unwavering devotion. She faithfully lived the vows they made 61 years earlier: "for better, for worse, in sickness and in health." She showed all of us what true, selfless love looks like.

On July 13, 2026, Sharon peacefully entered into eternal life at the age of 81.

Sharon Muszalski is survived by her beloved husband, Paul Muszalski; her brother, Edward Karale; her daughters, Theresa Springer and Shari Muszalski; her granddaughters, Natasha Werner, Natalie Renard, Danielle Eckhardt, Katarina Springer, and Yasmine Springer; her great-grandson, Calvin Eckhardt; along with many extended family members and dear friends whose lives were made brighter simply because they knew her.

Sharon will be remembered for her unwavering Catholic faith, her warm smile, her generous heart, her creativity, her sense of humor, and her remarkable ability to make friends wherever she went. She was a woman who loved deeply and lived generously. Her legacy lives on in the faith she shared, the traditions she preserved, the family she cherished, the friendships she created, and the countless smiles and memories she left behind. May Sharon's memory always remind us to be kind, to laugh often, to make time for the people we love, and to never underestimate the difference a warm smile or a simple conversation can make.