Obituary of Sharon L. Maher

Sharon L. Maher, age 79 of Iowa City, died Sunday, January 21, 2024, at her home following a extended illness.

Funeral services will be held 11am Monday, January 29, 2024, at the Good News Bible Church in Iowa City with burial at Memory Gardens Cemetery.  Visitation will be from 2 to 4 pm Sunday at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City.  In lieu of flowers a memorial fund has been established in her memory.  To share a condolence with her family please visit Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service website @ www.gayandciha.com.

Sharon Lee Maher (Fickbohm) was born February 22, 1944, in Des Moines, Iowa the daughter of Herman and Bernice (Sheets) Fickbohm.  Following graduation from Central High School in Sioux City, she attended Bible College in Des Moines.  In time she moved to Iowa City where she has raised her family and was a seamstress to many brides in and around the area.

Sharon’s faith has been lifelong, always active in whatever church she was attending. It wasn’t uncommon for her to teach Sunday School, lead in Bible studies, sing in the choir, and so much more.  She found great honor in doing missionary work in Mexico. Her faith was paramount only to her family!  She enjoyed the outdoors, she spent hours outside in her gardens always planting new flowers. She was also artistic in many ways, drawing, painting, writing short stories, knitting. Coloring in her adult coloring books were some of her latest masterpieces. Sharon loved music from great musicians such as Ricky Nelson, Al Jolson and others in that generation, to her beloved hymns. When she had a moment to rest she always looked to see if she could find either a Fred Astaire, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby movie or any old musical. She searched far and wide for records of all her favorites. She pulled her kids through countless antique shops to add to her collections, miniature tea sets, bells and her favorite find, Blue Willow dishes.  But nothing, I mean nothing was more important than her family!

Her family includes her husband, Gary; children, John Reighard (Stella Sanguya-Reighard), Nichelle Graf, Jessica O’Brien (Christopher), Rachel Maher and Jordan Maher; 9 grandchildren, Andi, Jacoby, Daimian, Malachi, Kayla, Chloie, Stormy, Danica 5 great-grandchildren, sisters, Judy Smith (James) and Laurie Betsworth (James); and her former husband, Alvin Hummel.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her son, Aaron, sister, Cindy Lalamendre, brother, Michael Fickbohm and former husband, Charles “Chuck” Reighard.