Sharon Sue (Grazier) Rimel

It was with sadness we announced the passing of Sharon Sue (Grazier) Rimel on this day, May 9, 2025, in Lampasas, TX.

As as child, Sharon turned heads on High Street in Jefferson City - not because she was causing trouble, but because she was proudly walking her duck. Yes, a duck.  On a ribbon leash, no less.  It was the height of fowl fashion.  Not long after, the family relocated to the family farm in Tipton, where the duck presumably upgraded to free-range status.

In high school, Sharon joined a lively group of friends self-named as the Silly Seven.  They weren't exactly troublemakers, just a bunch of bright, spirited girls having the time of their lives.  One of their grand adventures?  Gathering for shrimp dinners at one of the girls' houses.  It was the late '50s - shrimp wasn't just pricey; it was practically high society.  And let's just say, Sharon was thoroughly impressed.

After high school, Sharon took a job at the Capitol, working for the revenue department.  Sharon didn't mind the drive, but the commute stressed her out for another reason: the possibility of being pulled over by the Missouri Highway Patrol.  It so happened that her brother was one of those very official troopers.  Getting a ticket is one thing...getting roasted at Thanksgiving for it is a whole different level.  Her mother, however, was much more concerned about the daily commute to Jefferson City.  So, in true mom fashion, she pulled some strings (or maybe just threw a well-timed fit) and, like magic, announced Sharon had a new job at CoMO Electric.  Problem solved!

On March 20, 1965, Sharon tied the knot with William Gerald Rimel, Jr.  And precisely nine months later - give or take a few days - their son William Andrew Rimel made his grand entrance. (We'll let you do the math.)  During this time, the couple lived in Belton, Missouri, while Bill was finishing up his service in the Air Force.  Three and a half years later, they welcomed a daughter - and along with her, a line item in the family budget titled "Suzanne Medical."  Turns out, while little girls are adorable, some of them are magnets for germs, gravity, and general chaos.  Suzanne had a special talent for finding sharp corners, catching weird viruses, and basically single-handedly keeping the local clinic in business.

The next chapter of life took the family to Otterville, Missouri, where Bill worked for Bixler Gas until one fateful day when he encountered a very deceased cat while crawling under a house.  That was his epiphany moment.  As Bill put it, "One of us is getting out from under this house..."  Shortly after, he enrolled in college.  One degree led to another, and before long, he had earned his master's in education, proving that sometimes, all it takes to change your life is a dead cat and some solid motivation.

Later, the family moved to Lincoln, Missouri, where Bill landed his first teaching job - and, as if that weren't enough, decided to build the family home with his own two hands.  That house didn't just have walls, it had a soul.  It became the family's keystone, the place they always returned to whenever life pulled them far from home...even when it was really far.

In 1980, adventure came calling when Bill was offered a teaching position at a Department of Defense school in Ramey, Puerto Rico.  Suddenly, "school night" included palm trees and ocean breezes - and Missouri winters were a distant memory (at least for a while).  For the next 25 years, Bill and Sharon led a globetrotting life - living and working in Bahrain, South Korea, Japan, and Germany - and collected passport stamps like souvenirs.  They embraced the adventure and probably racked up enough frequent flyer miles to circle the globe twice.

In 2005, Bill passed away after a brief battle with cancer.  Eventually, Sharon found herself back at the family home in Lincoln.  Before long, she started working at Walmart, where she took a job in the fabric section - fitting for someone who had always been a crafty girl.  She also decided she needed a little fun money.

And Sharon's idea of Fun?  Picture oxygen-rich casinos, the symphony of slot machines, and the thrill of chasing spinning fruit for the occasional jackpot.

It was during this time that Sharon and her "sister from another mister," Mary, kicked off a series of unforgettable adventures.  One particularly legendary escapade involved a road trip to Texas, hitting every casino along the way, and embarking on a late-night quest for McDonald's soft-serve ice cream. Think Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle - but swap the burgers for cones and the stoner comedy for two fabulous ladies on a sugar-fueled mission.

Sharon's final chapter was a tough one as she dealt with head trauma following a head-on collision with a drunk driver.  True to her stubborn, independent nature, she refused medical attention at the scene and went on her way.

Her final years were filled with immense love as she spent her days living with her daughter and son-in-law in Texas.  Thanks to her severe memory loss - and perhaps a little bit of that classic Sharon optimism - she truly believed she was just on a long vacation.  And honestly, that's not the worst way to see it.

Sharon is survived by her son, William Andrew Rimel, and her daughter, Suzanne Biberston.. She also leaves behind four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren who will carry her memory forward.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you take stock of what truly matters: spend time with the people you love.  It's the only currency that never loses value.