Sharen Kikulski

Sharen Petersen Kikulski, age 71, of Elburn, formerly of Chicago, passed away Saturday, November 15, 2014. She was born August 28, 1943, in Chicago, IL. Sharen grew up in Chicago and attended local schools. She attended Austin High School and graduated with the class of 1961. Sharen went on to attend a year or two of college while working at the Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago- where you couldn’t go home unless everything balanced to the penny at the end of the day. Jim Kikulski caught her eye after he returned from Vietnam, but instead of being decked out in uniform, Jim was sporting a pair of bowling shoes while playing in leagues on the north side of Chicago More than pins were knocked over that day, and soon they went from alleys to aisles when they were united in marriage on October 10, 1969. They began their new life together in Elmwood Park for a time before moving to the rural St. Charles and Elburn areas in 1983.After they were married, Sharen left working at the Federal Reserve for a higher calling: Motherhood. Sharen and Jim were blessed with a growing family that would include four children: Steven, Jamie, Jennifer and Gregg made the family complete. You could search the world and never find a more devoted wife than Sharen. Every day was another opportunity to serve and support, love and provide her family with the best care she knew how to give. Later when her son Gregg was born with special needs, Sharen’s love shone through the thousand details to which she attended each and every day. She loved cooking and anything that had to do with crafts. The evidence of her nimble fingers could be found in her needle point, but her footwork on the dance floor couldn’t be beat as she and Jim danced through several decades. Sharen loved to garden, was an avid reader of anything with a title, and filled out the Chicago Tribune crossword puzzle in record time. Watching her soap operas were a special treat as well, but nothing compared to watching her beloved Chicago Cubs and Chicago Bears. Sharen’s knowledge of grammar and vast vocabulary insured that her children lived in fear of her red pen when she was proofreading. Travels with Jim to various destinations including Hawaii, California, Mexico, Bahamas were marked with indelible memories, but their second home Crivitz, WI, held countless summers, spring breaks, and special occasions with family and friends for many years. She is survived by her loving husband of 46 years, Jim Kikulski;Four children: Steven (Elaine) Naslund,Jamie (Jacob) Fitch,Jennifer (Alexis) Fernandez and Gregg Kikulski andOne grandson, Logan Fitch.She is preceded in death by her mother, Vivian Petersen, and maternal grandmother, Julia Petersen. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. at Conley Funeral Home, 116 W. Pierce St., Elburn, IL, on Friday, November 21, 2014. There will be prayers at the funeral home from 9-10 a.m. on Saturday, November 22 before a procession to St. Gall Catholic Church, Elburn for a mass to begin at 10:30. Fr. Timothy Seigel, pastor of the church, will officiate with interment to follow at St. Gall Cemetery, Elburn. In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established in Sharen’s name. Checks may be made to the Sharen Kikulski Memorial and mailed in care of P.O. Box 66, Elburn, 60119. Tributes may also be forwarded to the same address or on the web at www.conleycare.com where you can find her full life story.

Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. at Conley Funeral Home, 116 W. Pierce St., Elburn, IL, on Friday, November 21, 2014. There will be prayers at the funeral home from 9-10 a.m. on Saturday, November 22 before a procession to St. Gall Catholic Church, Elburn for a mass to begin at 10:30. Fr. Timothy Seigel, pastor of the church, will officiate with interment to follow at St. Gall Cemetery, Elburn.