Sharon T. VanDyke, a resident of the Beaverton community passed away on August 18, 2018 at Maryville Nursing Home where she resided at the time of her death.

Sharon was born on November 21, 1939 in Butte, MT. She was one of eight children born to William and Ruby (Craig) McGowan. She was raised in Butte, Montana and attended elementary school there until moving to Oregon in 1952 where she attended St. Matthews elementary school. She then attended Verboort High school for a couple of years before attending St. Mary’s of the Valley Academy (now known as Valley Catholic High School) where she was prom queen her senior year graduating in 1957.

After high school Sharon moved to San Francisco where she met her first husband Ray Gonzalez. They made their home in the Bay Area where they had and raised their five children; Terry, Kathy, David, Ray, and Bill. They later divorced.

Shortly after, Sharon and the kids moved up to Oregon settling in the Washington County area. This is where Sharon started her career in technology first working at Tektronix and ending her career at Intel where she was an Engineering Change Writer.

She later reconnected with an old school friend, Harvey VanDyke and after a short courtship they married on May 3, 1997 making their home in Hillsboro.

Sharon retired at 65 to become a full time grandma. Sharon enjoyed spending every free day with her grandchildren and great grandchildren reading to them, coloring with them and cooking for them. She also tried to meet with her siblings and children as often as she could. Family was number one for Sharon. She also enjoyed traveling and went to The Bahamas, Ireland, Hawaii and to Montana and California to name a few.

Sharon is preceded in death by her parents and her loving husband Harvey.

She is survived by her five children: Theresa Butler of Forest Grove, Kathleen Jackson of Aloha, David Gonzalez of Beaverton, Ray Gonzalez and wife Cyndi Gonzalez of Hillsboro and William Gonzalez of Spokane, WA. Seven siblings ; Nancy Rhein, Patrick McGowan and wife Sharon, James McGowan and wife Patricia, Marian McGowan, Judy Lee and husband Skip, Kathy Rost and husband Terry, William McGowan and wife Carol., Three Step Children Paulla Cuno of Forest Grove, Ted Van Dyke of Laurelwood, and Patrick VanDyke of Hillsboro. Sharon had nine grandchildren and nine great grandchildren and she loved them all.

It was Sharon’s wishes to have any donations in her name given to Maryville Nursing Home;