Sharon Ann Backhus

Sharon was born on July 20, 1943, in Kansas City, Missouri to Willard and Virginia Stansbery.

Sharon graduated from North Kansas City High School. Sharon was a great athlete all her life.

She did not play sports in school as in those days they did not have girl's teams of any kind. Her brother, Willy said Sharon was a far better athlete than he was. She could always outrun him, and Willy was an excellent athlete. It was probably best they didn't have girl sports teams back then, because the world would have learned Sharon's true identity "Wonder Women".

At age 17, after high school, Sharon found herself at Allen's Drive Inn. There she had seen the strongest, handsome U.S. Marine in the world. She knew instantly he was going to be the love of her life. She took charge of that man, and he was putty in her hands. That man was Richard Backhus. Together they went to Texas and eloped on December 21, 1961.

Sharon had a few jobs in her lifetime. The Tasty Freeze where she was almost outed as Wonder Women by being able to scoop that ice cream with her left hand using a right-handed scooper. Dolgins Fine Jewelry Store she worked there with her mother, where they once experienced a bomb scare that required North Kansas City Fire Department to be dispatched to the store, which included her husband to search the store. Sharon would not leave her husband's side while he was doing his job until they made her. Once again saving Sharon from everyone knowing her true identity Wonder Women. She also used her Wonder Women skills at Kansas City International Airport as part of their security team. Sharon's favorite paying job which she loved was at North Kansas City Hospital as a patient transporter in radiology after the hospital first opened. I'm not sure if it was the job itself, or all the juicy gossip and rumors about the doctors and nurses she loved. That job ended when Sharon and Richard got pregnant with their son, Paul, being born in 1964. As we all know it took all of her Wonder Women powers to raise him all those years. The next year in 1965 she delivered twins Troy and Roy. The twins didn't take as much Wonder Women power from here even though there were two of them.

Sharon's most important and rewarding job of her life was being a fun, and loving Wife, Mother, Grandmother, and Great Grandmother. Thats where her real superpowers came in. That is when the world learned her real identity............ "Wonder Women."

Sharon was preceded in death by her father, Willard Stanbery; mother, Virginia Stansbery; and her husband, Richard Backhus.

Sharon was survived by her children, Richard "Paul'' Backhus of Kansas City Missouri, Troy (Shannon) Backhus of Liberty, Missouri, and Roy Backhus of Las Vegas Nevada; brother, Willard Stansbery of Fort Worth Texas; grandchildren, Matthew Backhus, Melinda Backhus, Kaleb Backhus, Cody Backhus, Caleb Alberts, Dakota Williams, Haley Backhus, and Hannah Backhus; great-grandchildren, Rylynne Backhus, Joslynne Backhus, and Roman Beck; several nieces and nephews she loved dearly.

Celebration of Life services will be 12 PM Saturday May 11, 2024, at White Chapel Funeral Home (6600 NE Antioch Rd. Gladstone, Missouri 64119). A reception will follow the inurnment at White Chapel Cemetery where everyone is welcomed to attend and celebrate Sharon's life. Serving as pallbearers are Hannah Greenberg, Haley Backhus, Melinda Backhus, Cody Backhus, Caleb Alberts and Matthew Backhus.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Alzheimer's Association of Kansas City (8001 Concer Suite 240 Overland Park, Kansas 66204)

The family would like to thank St. Mary's Ignite Medical Resort for always taking such good care of Sharon when we could not. Also, Ascend Hospice for their wonderful care at the end. The family will be forever grateful for the excellent care of Sharon.