Sharon Lynn Mueller

Sharon Lynn Mueller, 74, passed away June 24, 2021.Sharon was born to Howard and Agnes James in Joplin, Mo., but the family soon moved to St. Joseph, Mo., where she grew up. Her second elementary school was on the edge of town, and Sharon rode a horse to school. Always a good student, she received a full scholarship at Southwest Missouri State University.

After college, Sharon trained for the Peace Corps in Hawaii, and then it was on to Thailand for her assignment. Upon her return, she joined Arthur Young, one of the Big Eight national accounting firms. Sharon passed her CPA exam on the first try, winning the Silver Medal for the state of Illinois. Sharon’s second employer in industry was a small company in Silicon Valley called Intel. She had a badge number under 1000. Gordon Moore and Andy Grove were her mentors. In her late 20s she ran semiconductor accounting and finance.

While working at Intel, Sharon earned a Master of Taxation degree from Portland State University. Ultimately, she opened her own tax practice in order to travel less, and spend more time raising her daughter, Kristen. After retiring at age 50, Sharon devoted significant time and energy to non-profit activities. Along with many other roles over 16 years, Sharon was Chair and Chair Emeritus of National Philanthropic Trust, one of the largest donor-advised funds. It also ranks among the largest grant making institutions in the United States. Here in Portland Sharon was on the finance committee and board of Trillium Family Services, Oregon’s leader in providing mental and behavioral healthcare to children and families. Sharon is survived by her husband, Reynolds Potter of Portland, Ore.; her daughter, Kristen Mueller of London, England; brother, Dennis James of Plano, Texas; and her niece, Denise Young of St. Joseph, Mo. A funeral for Sharon will be held at 10 a.m., July 8, 2021, at Lincoln Memorial Park & Funeral Home, and a memorial gathering will follow from 12 - 2 p.m., at Portland Center Stage at the Armory.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Trillium Family Services and Southern Poverty Law Center.