Sharon Kentala

Sharon Kentala

December 31, 1963 – December 19, 2025

Sharon Kentala was born on December 31, 1963, and passed away on December 19, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of love, creativity, and devotion to family and home.

Sharon grew up on Racine Street in the Wrigleyville and Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago, a place she loved deeply and never left. It was there that she met Lee, the love of her life, when they were just children. They began dating in grade school, two years apart in age and living only one block from one another. Though they later divorced, their separation was never due to a lack of love. Sharon and Lee loved each other very much and passed away almost exactly two years apart.

Together, Sharon and Lee had one son, Ryne, who was the center of Sharon’s world.

Sharon courageously lived with mental illness, a struggle that followed her throughout her life and at times robbed her of years she deserved. Even so, she remained gentle, loving, and kind to those around her.

She shared an extraordinarily close bond with her sister and lifelong companion, Diane Reno, who was also Ryne’s godmother. Sharon and Diane lived together their entire lives and were inseparable until Diane’s sudden passing in 2019, a loss that deeply affected Sharon. Both sisters remained devoted to their mother, Mary, with whom they shared their home. Mary survives Sharon and will turn 84 this February.

Sharon was deeply artistic and gifted with her hands. She loved painting, crafting, and creating beauty from nothing. She made wreaths from scratch, designed jewelry, and was a master of crochet. Her love for crochet became something she joyfully shared with others, volunteering to teach a crochet class at Autumn Green Assisted Living Facility while staying there with her mother during Mary’s recovery from surgery. Teaching, creating, and connecting through her art brought Sharon great peace.

She also loved sports, especially cheering for the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago Blackhawks. Her younger cousins admired her greatly, often saying she was the prettiest and sweetest person they knew.

Sharon shared a special bond with her Aunt Linda Cancel, her mother’s sister, who was not only her aunt but also her best friend. From childhood through adulthood, Sharon called her every day. They laughed, cried, talked, and later became crochet buddies, sharing a love for making blankets and memories together. Those moments remain treasured beyond measure.

Sharon is survived by her beloved son, Ryne; her mother, Mary; and extended family who loved her deeply. She was preceded in death by her sister, Diane Reno; her former husband, Lee; and other cherished family members.

Sharon will be remembered for her softness, her creativity, her loyalty to family, and the love she gave so freely. Though her life held challenges, she leaves behind a legacy of beauty, kindness, and enduring love.

She is deeply missed and forever loved.

Services will be held privately