Sharon C (Craig) Shaknis

Sharon C. Shaknis passed away peacefully on January 24, 2024, surrounded by her loving family. Sharon was born in Baldwin, NY in 1935 to George A. Craig and Dorothy (Kennedy) Craig. She was raised on Long Island NY, attended Baldwin High School, and graduated from Cortland College, earning a degree in Education. She married her beloved husband, Richard C. Shaknis, in 1957, and was married for 61 years before his passing in 2018. 

A devoted wife, mother, and homemaker, Sharon worked part-time as a substitute teacher while living in Glen Head, and Old Brookville, LI, NY. She was interested in sports and fitness, becoming part of the running craze of the 1970s. In 1987, Sharon and Richard moved to Memphis, TN where they became avid fans of Memphis State Men’s basketball, and volunteered for many years at the St. Jude Golf Tournament. Sharon became actively involved in the Memphis Decorative Arts Trust, and the Memphis Garden Club. She enjoyed travel and visited many countries in
Europe, as well as Russia, China, Patagonia, and frequently vacationed in Grand Cayman.

Sharon was a thirty-seven year survivor of breast cancer. She moved to Watertown, MA in 2022 to live closer to her children in her final years, and entrusted her cancer care to Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

Sharon is survived by her son Craig (Laura) Shaknis of Naples, ME; and daughter, Kimberly Shaknis (Jeremy Seeger) of Belmont, MA; grandchildren Jessica (Jim) Cardosi, Christopher (Ashley) Shaknis, Kayla Seeger, Jason Seeger; and great-grandchildren Caden, Charles, Elizabeth, and Chase.
 
A celebration of Sharon’s life will be held at a later date at the convenience of the family.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital www.stjude.org  or to Dana Farber Cancer Institute danafarber.jimmyfund.org in memory of Sharon Shaknis.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Sharon C (Craig) Shaknis, please visit our floral store.