Gerot, Sharon

Sharon Gerot, 54, of rural Riverside, died at her home on Sunday, May 1, 2011. Memorial services will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, May 6, at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City. Visitation will be after 5 p.m. Friday until service time at the funeral home.

Sharon Kay Maydew was born Oct. 12, 1956, in Clinton, Iowa, the daughter of Blaine and Louise (Stanley) Maydew. Following graduation from high school in Clinton, she attended Iowa State University. She has resided in Iowa and Wisconsin most of her life. She has farmed and worked as the Fayette County Emergency Management coordinator. In recent years she was a research biologist technician at Yellowstone National Park during the spring and summer months.

Sharon loved life, she loved the adventure of traveling, the outdoors, her horses, collecting rocks from all her travels, snorkeling in the Bahamas, playing ranger out west, all animals no matter what kind, and basically anything to do with babies!

Her family includes her two daughters and their husbands, Jill and Kevin Schlough of Withee, Wis., and Melanie and Josh Sperl of Medford, Wis.; grandchildren, Gracie and Braden; siblings, Brian Maydew of Clinton, Deborah Christensen (Steve) of Lyndon, Ill., and Bradley Maydew of Clinton; and nieces and nephews, Garret and Kendra Guilliams, Shelby Christensen, Audrey and Morgan Maydew.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her daughter, Elyse Gerot on Oct. 10, 2004; and their faithful dog, Hank.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established in Sharon's memory.

Online condolences may be sent for her family through the web at