Sharon Faye Burgau

Sharon Faye Burgau, 77, of Greenville, SC, entered Heaven on Thursday, September 16, 2021 and is now in the glorious presence of her Lord and Savior!

Born in Wadena, MN, she was a daughter of the late Martin J. and Impi E. (Reini) Palokangas.

Sharon graduated from Sebeka High School in 1962. She worked as a hairdresser for several years and also as a secretary and receptionist. She especially enjoyed working for Short Term Evangelical Missions, her last job before retiring. She loved her co-workers so much and was proud of the work they did.

Sharon was passionate about Israel and even spent a summer there working for Christian Friends of Israel. It was an experience of a lifetime!

Sharon was an animal lover her entire life and had many beloved pets. In her younger years, she enjoyed sports and was very athletic. She even ran Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, MN in 1984!

Although Sharon enjoyed many things about living in South Carolina the last year – such as the warm winter, the abundance of flowers all year long, ONE beautiful snowfall, and everyone “blessing” each other right and left – she was very proud to be a Minnesotan and missed her home state, her friends and siblings, and her church family. She was always so excited to get a letter or a phone call from “home.”  

There was nothing that Sharon was more passionate about than Jesus. For a shy person, she was uncommonly bold about sharing her faith. She loved the Lord and wanted everyone to know Him and to spend eternity with Him. Sharon had quite a lot of physical pain and illnesses over the last several years, and many times she expressed a longing to be in Heaven with Jesus. She is there now and is free from all pain and sorrow! Praise God!  

Sharon is survived by two daughters: Barbara (Ken) Grether of Greenville, SC and Julianne (Greg) Condiff of Circle Pines, MN; a son, Sam (Denise) Burgau of Melrose, MN; three brothers: Jimmy (Ellen) Palokangas, Jack (Sharon, who is in Heaven) Palokangas, and David (Vicki) Palokangas; and a sister, Eloise (Paul) Hepokoski; grandchildren: Kalika Burgau, Isaac Burgau and Gabriel Condiff; and a great-granddaughter, Mayla Burgau. She also had many cousins, nieces and nephews who loved her.

In addition to her parents, Sharon was preceded in death by a sister, MaryEllen Adams. A funeral service will be held on Friday, October 8th, 11am, at Solid Rock Free Lutheran Church, 737 Bob Ehlen Dr, Anoka, MN 55303. Sharon will be laid to rest with her parents and sister at Meadow Apostolic Lutheran Cemetery in Wadena County, MN.