Sharon Lynn (Jarvenpa) Stinson

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Stinson, Sharon Lynn (Jarvenpa) Age 70 of Maple Plain, MN "Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. . . you are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars." As we say goodbye to Sharon Stinson, certain lines of her favourite poem, Desiderata, come to mind, for it seems to embody how she lived her life - thoughtfully, quietly, kindly and full of love. Sharon passed away on Saturday, November 21 st after a long battle with pancreatic cancer, having fought off breast cancer fifteen years earlier. She relied on her sisu - the Finnish idea of extraordinary courage and determination, especially in the face of adversity - to help her through the challenge of battling cancer, not once but twice. She was born on November 4th, 1950 in Duluth, MN. After graduating from Duluth East High School, she went on to attend UMD, where she met her future husband on a tennis court and competed in an impromptu mixed doubles match. They spent their early married years in Minneapolis and then relocated to Port Jefferson, NY before deciding to come home to Minnesota to raise their two children. Sharon had a long career at the State Bank of Long Lake and was enjoying her retirement, which provided time for reading, traveling and spending time with friends and family. She had many dreams for the future, and while those were lost with her death, it's a comfort to know how many new places she'd visited and new experiences she'd had. She is survived by her husband Randy, her son Nathan and his partner Julie, her daughter Chelsea, and five grandchildren Audrey, Vivian, Ezrah, Kenzie and Cora. A celebration of life will be held at a future date, when it is safe to gather once again. In lieu of flowers, we ask that people support the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCan) with a donation in her memory: bit.ly/… Rettinger Funeral Home Long Lake-Orono 952-473-6954

Published on November 29, 2020