Sharon Van Rickley Milligan

On August 19, 1958, out yonder in Minot, North Dakota... Sharon Lynn Van Rickley burst into the world with a radiance that would follow throughout her life. For the next 66 years, those lucky enough to know her (and her sunkissed freckles), were riding shotgun on her wild adventures and hoping to catch a sound of her contagious laughter. 

She was one-of-a-kind, a testament to the power of joy, and most importantly, the world's best tuna casserole maker (according to her).

Sharon had led an incredibly rich and wonderful life with her husband of almost 40 years, Mike. They have honeymooned in Yosemite, lived all over San Diego, and camped even further. Together, they raised three wonderful girls, and are the loving grandparents to 3 more. Sharon herself has driven an 18 wheeler, mascotted, served cocktails at Yellowstone. She got a tattoo on her lunch break from Bank of America, had taken young girls toilet papering, camped, backpacked, hitch hiked (or picked up a few hitch hikers with her terrified kids in the car)! She worked full time while earning her BA, and graduated college before her 40th birthday as an example to her daughters on the power of higher education. 

She has boated and tubed on her beloved "Blue Pearl" boat! She has hit up college bars in SLO, wild bars in SF and closed down dive bars in Chicago. She danced, and goofed around, and she did her best to bake the best box-brownies. She’s walked all three of her daughters down the aisle, and celebrated every major milestone including college graduations and career promotions. She held all three of her grandkids in her arms, and even crawled on the floor with them. She loved her pets (Jamboree, Daria, Sunflower, Dutchess, Jake, and Mackenna) and loved her friends. If you were lucky enough to know her, she probably showered you with love as well.

On December 3, 2024 at 8:09am, after her year and a half battle with early-onset alzheimer’s, the light of our lives, Sharon Van Rickley Milligan, gave her last breath and left this world with the same radiant burst of energy she entered it in.

In the end, Sharon was surrounded by love from her parents (Chuck Van Rickley & Marlene Soper) her mother-in-law of almost 40 years (Marilynn Milligan), her siblings (Larry, Mark, Billy, Steve & Sue, SIL Jill), her best friends, the sounds of her grandchildren’s voices, her in-laws and son-in-laws (Greg Meisinger, Jim Stricker, Shadi Abudayyeh), friends, nieces, nephews and neighbors. She held the hand of her husband of 40 years Michael Milligan, and was ultimately guided to the other side by her three devoted daughters (Kelsie, Jessica and Katelynn).

All of us assured Sharon that the energy she put into this world would be held deep within each of us. That we had a responsibility to live a compassionate life, as she had; and wanted to let her know above all, that those she cared for the most, would be taken care of.

We are so grateful to have known and loved Sharon... and will forever miss her....

Services will be held on Saturday, January 18 2025 at 11:00am
College Avenue Church
4747 College Ave, 
San Diego, CA 92115