Sharon Jane Perrier

She was born in Scranton, PA, daughter of Thelma, née Breen, and Irwin Best. The youngest of three Best girls, you could find her sitting on the front stoop, innocent freckled face watching the world go by. She met her lifelong best friends, Barbara Davis, Marie Facey, and Janice Pirkle, and graduated from Colonie Central High School. She used her exceptional typing skills to pursue a career as an administrative assistant at places like the University at Albany, where she made many friends. She was a loyal member of CSEA, the Guilderland library, and of course, BJ’s Wholesale Club, which she made sure to visit weekly.

Sharon met the love of her life, Adelard J. Perrier (Del), just two weeks before her birthday in 1974. They married in November after a five month whirlwind romance that would last 46 years. The early years of their marriage included decorating for every holiday, renovating a VW van to become a camper, their “Honeybug,” going on cruises, and playing her favorite numbers at one of her favorite places, the Saratoga Racetrack.

After retirement, Sharon and Del not only visited Europe but also packed a mobile home and traveled the country before officially becoming snowbirds, summering in New York and wintering in the Villages, Florida. Many evenings, Sharon and Del would be dancing at the square to Scooter, their favorite DJ. If she wasn’t dancing with Del, she was jitterbugging with her sisters, Mary Ann and Gwen, with a Dewar’s in hand, extra ice. Her other favorite drink was a McDonald’s frappe, which she’d have when sifting through innumerable garage sales.

Within the last several years, her devoted and patient sister, Gwen, became Sharon’s companion and caretaker. Gwen was by her side at every doctor appointment, every meal, nighttime movie, and her last Saratoga Racetrack outing, sharing many hugs, laughs, and memories. In Sharon’s last months, Gwen was there almost daily at the Shaker Place Rehabilitation Center in the Ann Lee unit, which took such good care of Sharon.

Sharon was predeceased by her husband, Del Perrier; her mother and stepfather, Thelma and Dennis Micare; her father, Irwin Best; her brother, Joseph Leon Best; her sister and brother-in-law, Mary Ann and Allen Robinson; her brother-in-law, Dennis McCann; and her stepsister, Denise Micare.

Sharon leaves behind many who are honored to have been in her life, including but not limited to: her daughters, Cynthia Perrier (Gus Gilbert) and Nicole Perrier; her former son-in-law, Elvin Tarife; her grandchildren, Philip and Brittany Gilbert, and Grey and Reid Tarife; her sister, Gwen McCann; her stepbrothers, Daniel (Joyce) Micare and Dennis Micare; her niece/“little sister,” Debra (Rod Seeburger); her nephew and godson, Frederick Robinson; her McCann niece and nephews who will miss their favorite Auntie Sharon: Maureen, Colin (Burcu), Brendan (Yumi), Ryan (Audrey), Terence (Amy), and Timothy.

Family and friends are invited to gather directly at the Funeral Mass, which will be held at St. Michael the Archangel Roman Catholic Church at 175 Williams Rd, Troy, NY on Thursday, October 29, at 1:00 pm. Arrangements were entrusted to Simple Choices Cremation Services. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to The Children’s Home of Kingston, 26 Grove St, Kingston, NY, 12401.

In honor of Sharon, we invite anyone attending the service to wear purple, her favorite color.