Sharon Hunter Bates was born on December 11, 1949 to Hartel and Rhunette Bates in Albany, New York. She departed this life on July 15, 2013. She graduated from Schenectady High School and attended SCCC. She was employed at General Electric for more than fifteen years. She was married to the late Gregory Modest and they were blessed with a beautiful daughter, Lisa Michelle. Sharon was a gifted musician who developed a passion for music at an early age. This love of music would remain an important part of her life. For her formal training, Sharon attended the Albany Conservatory of Music and eventually became an organist. For more than thirty years, she played for Mt. Olivet Missionary Baptist Church, Duryee Memorial AME Zion Church, Bethel AME Church, and most recently Israel AME Church. Sharon also volunteered teaching young children how to play the piano at Israel AME Churches' "Keys for Kids" program. Sharon is survived by her mother, Rhunette Allen; daughter, Lisa Michelle Modest; brothers: Edward Bates Schenectady, and Arthur Allen of San Francisco, CA; sister, Barbara O'Neal, Los Angeles, CA; grandson, Cameron Colbert, Athens, GA; nephew, Adam Bates; and aunts Earlene Tanner, Billie Jackson, and Rachel Johnson, and a host of family and friends. Services for Sharon will be held on Thursday, July 25, 2013 at 7 PM from the Mt. Olivet Missionary Baptist Church, 809 Strong Street, Schenectady, NY 12307. Relatives and friends are invited to attend.