Kathleen M. (Eyler) Sharrah, 88, of Cashtown, went peacefully to be with her Lord and Savior Wednesday afternoon December 30, 2009 where she died at the Gettysburg Hospital after an extended illness. Previously, she was living at the Golden Living Center since she became ill in July. She was the wife of the late Stanley Sharrah, Sr., and longtime companion of the late Glenn Raffensperger.

Born September 15, 1921 at her family's home in Orrtanna, she was a daughter of the late L. Darwin and Mary E. (Boyd) Eyler.

Kathleen married Stanley D. Sharrah on February 23, 1940 at the Tressler Lutheran Home Chapel in Loysville, PA where Stan was raised. The two were married almost 48 years. They lived in Glen Burnie, MD, early in their marriage during which time Kathleen was employed at G.L. Martin cleaning new airplanes. Later, the couple lived at the Spigot Valley Homestead until moving to Cashtown where she lived for the past 55 years. She considered Cashtown to be her true home and enjoyed raising her family of six children there.

Most recently, Kathleen was employed at Green Acres Nursing and Rehabilitation Center as a cook. Prior to that, she worked as a press operator at Eddie's Dry Cleaners in Gettysburg.

Kathleen was a member of Flohr's Lutheran Church. She was also a member of the Cashtown Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary, Gettysburg American Legion Post #202 Auxiliary, and a life member of Gettysburg VFW Post 15 Auxiliary.

She loved spending time with her family and greatly enjoyed cooking for them. Kathleen also enjoyed playing Bingo, gardening, and collecting glass hens.

Surviving are four children, Stanley "Dave" Sharrah, Jr., and his companion Connie Vanderau of Biglerville, Nancy E. Sharrah-Krayo and her husband Arie "Harry," Yvonne E. Martinez and her husband Vincent of Saylorsburg, PA, Tony L. Sharrah and his companion Mary Hess of Orrtanna, and her son-in-law William R. Luckenbaugh of West Willow, PA; her sister, Geraldine Windisch and her husband Edward Sr. of Taneytown; 13 grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren, and 7 step-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by two daughters, Ruth Jean Luckenbaugh and Mary Kathleen Place; five sisters, Bessie Eyler, Nellie Eyler, Marian Meisenhelter, Anna Thomas, and Ruth Ebbert; one brother, L. Sterling Eyler; one grandson, Eric D. Sharrah; and one great-grandson, Kyree J. Gamble.

The funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, January 2, 2010 at the Peters Funeral Home, 321 Carlisle St., Gettysburg, with her son-in-law Vincent offering a solo. Viewing will be held between 10 and 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Oak Lawn Memorial Gardens.

Serving as pallbearers will be Bill Luckenbaugh, Jr., Brian Luckenbaugh, Doug Luckenbaugh, Jonathan Luckenbaugh, Alex Krayo, Dustin Martinez, Heidi Hawbaker, Danielle Place Wolf, and Arianna Krayo.

For those desiring, contributions may be made in Kathleen's memory to Flohr's Lutheran Church, 595 Flohr's Church Road, McKnightstown, PA 17343, or Cashtown Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary, PO Box Cashtown, PA 17310.

To share memories of Kathleen, please click on "Sign Guest Book" above.

A video celebrating the life of Kathleen's life can be viewed by clicking the link below, then click the photo to play the tribute video. (Special Note: If you have firewall protection installed on your computer, it must be disabled in order to play the tribute.  Macintosh systems need Windows to use the tribute viewer).

Kathleen M. (Eyler) Sharrah memorial video