Sharon Fockens,73, Mitchell, died Thursday, July 4, 2013 after a battle with cancer. She was born on February 24, 1940. Visitation will be from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 10 with a prayer service to begin at 7:00 p.m. at Will Funeral Chapel, Mitchell. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, July 16 at The Church of the Crucifixion, La Crescent, Minnesota. Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Monday, July 15, at Schumacher-Kish Funeral Home in La Crescent, Minnesota. A private burial will follow at a later date in Buffalo City, Wisconsin. Sharon Lee Duval was born to Gerald and Lenore (Anderson) Duval in Fieldon, Illinois. She graduated from high school in Cochrane, Wisconsin in 1958. She attended college at Winona State University. While continuing her education at Alma County College, she began her teaching career. She married Robert L. Fockens September 9, 1967. They had one child, LaRae, and eventually settled in Hannibal, Missouri in 1972. She taught in the Head Start program from 1974 to 1980. She completed a degree in education at Culver Stockton College in Canton, Missouri in 1980. In 1981 she began teaching at the Catholic school in Hannibal where she taught for ten years. After her divorce in 1990, Sharon moved with her daughter to La Crescent, Minnesota to be close to her younger brother, Pat Duval and his family. She was a substitute teacher in La Crescent until she began working at Wal-Mart in 1991. She received her 20 years of service certificate from Wal-Mart in 2011. LaRae married John Husmann in 1995. Sharon welcomed two granddaughters, Olivia (2002) and Isabella (2009). In order to be closer to LaRae and her family, Sharon moved to Mitchell, South Dakota in 2011. She became a member of Holy Family Church. Sharon transferred to the Mitchell Wal-Mart where she continued to work until her diagnosis. Sharon was a kind, generous, and gracious person who was beloved by all who were fortunate enough to have known her. Whether she was in the classroom or in the clothing department of Wal-Mart, Sharon was dedicated to her work. Although she enjoyed flower gardening, watching Antiques Roadshow, and collecting Boyds Bears, her favorite time was time spent in the company of friends and family. Every holiday was a special celebration for Sharon. Her faith and family were of utmost importance to her, and her grandchildren were her pride and joy. She will always be remembered as a loving and devoted mother and grandmother. The last of her many gifts to this world was that of organ donation. Her donations will touch many lives directly, as well as indirectly through medical research. She is survived by one daughter: LaRae (John) Husmann, Mitchell; two granddaughters Olivia and Isabella; one brother Arden (Ruth) Duval, Hudson, Wisconsin; one sister-in-law, Kay Duval, La Crescent, Minnesota; an aunt, uncle, cousins, nieces and nephews; and countless friends. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Pat Duval.