Sharon Colleen Waller

Our beloved Sharon, wife, mother and lifetime resident of Torrance left us suddenly and unexpectedly due to cardiac arrest, at home, in the presence of her family. She would have been 52 in another month. She was born and raised in Torrance and attended Lincoln Elementary, Casimir Middle School, and North Torrance High. She worked in child care, at TRW’s “launching pad”, before joining United Airlines in 1998 as a Customer Service Representative. She was the ideal person for the job because of her outgoing, friendly, and helpful personality. She enjoyed being able to inform passengers of great places to visit based on her many personal travel experiences. Anyone flying United out of LAX within the last 23 years would have probably experienced her smiling face and pleasant demeanor whether they were at the luggage check-in desk, the boarding gate, or the customer lounge.

Sharon was always very passionate about her Catholic Faith and her dedication to Our Lady and the Rosary. She eventually grew in her Faith to include the Traditional Latin Mass and wearing a Scapular. In the 1990’s, Sharon was active in the young adult group at American Martyrs Catholic Church. There, she met the love of her life Steven Waller. They were married at American Martyrs on October 2, 1999 and Honeymooned in Florida at Disney World and Epcot Center. Prior to the births of their daughters Stephanie (2005) and Sophia (2008), they made many trips to foreign locations such as: Egypt, Greece, Turkey, Scotland, France, Italy, Russia, Tahiti, Vietnam, and The Yucatan.

As the girls grew older, Sharon’s highest priority shifted to their schooling, raising and teaching the girls the traditions of the Catholic Faith while attending the Traditional Latin Mass at Our Lady of Help Christians Church in Garden Grove. She was a great believer that visiting museums and places of historical interest offered knowledge that cannot be obtained in a classroom setting. With her travel benefits from work, she arranged “family field trips” to places such as: Washington D.C. and its National museums, Detroit and the Henry Ford museum, Chicago and the Science and Industry museum. The family enjoyed road trips, to and between major cities, with stops at big and small museums and historic sites along the way. For several years, with annual passes, the family experienced many fun-filled days and nights at Disneyland usually visiting once or twice a week. Sharon also loved to organize epic birthday parties for the girls, always with a “bounce house” for the children (and some adults) to enjoy.

Sharon was predeceased by her mother Patricia (1984) and her baby brother John Joseph (1973).

She is survived by her husband Steve Waller and their daughters Stephanie and Sophia, her father James “Jim” Schafer, sister Margaret (Paul) Dolphin, sister Kathleen Schafer, brother James “Tony” Schafer, Niece Diana (K.C.) and children Michelle, Jake, Scott, and Anastasia, Nephew Brian Dolphin. Many cousins, friends, and other family in Nebraska. Also father-in-law Richard Waller (Marilyn), sister-in-law Susan Poland (Mike) and children Shaun, Matthew, and Sara.