Sharon Lea (Reiser) Knepper, 82

Sharon Lea (Reiser) Knepper’s spirit was taken home to heaven on July 10, 2025 while her memory remains with all family and friends who meant the world to her.

Sharon was born to Carl H. and Reba O. (Downing) Reiser on September 13, 1942 in Valentine, NE and was welcomed home by brothers Merle and Larry, along with sister Carolyn who arrived two years later at the ranch northwest of Brownlee, NE. She attended Brownlee Elementary and then Valentine High School, graduating with the Class of 1961.

On August 6, 1961 she was united in marriage to Bob Knepper, son of Robert and Maxine Knepper, in Valentine, NE and began married life at their new home in Grand Island, NE.

In May 1965 American Crystal Sugar Company, where Bob was employed, closed their facility in Grand Island. Rather than transferring to their new plant in northern Minnesota, Sharon and Bob moved back to the Sandhills where he found employment with Abbott Bank of Valentine, and added to their family with the birth of Robert Eugene on September 16, 1965.

August 1969 provided another move when Bob transferred to Abbott Bank of Hyannis where they lived, worked, and enjoyed their next 20 years with the outstanding people of that area, along with church and school activities.

Sharon and Bob then moved to Loveland, CO where they had honeymooned back in 1961, with Sharon becoming involved in civic activities as Vice President and then President of the Loveland Newcomers Club, which she truly enjoyed and made for a lot of new friends in the Loveland area.

Then Walmart came calling. The Loveland “Fabric Department” was looking for help, as their manager was going on maternity leave and pretty much nobody in the department to fill that position. Sharon had made her own wedding dress, along with other dresses, to include an outfit for a black-tie dinner at the Cornhusker Hotel in later years. So was pretty qualified for the job and was made department manager within the first month, a job she loved and enjoyed for the next 20 years. After retirement Sharon enjoyed joining Bob on some of his business travels into Mexico, South Padre Island, and more. Their get-away place in later years was The Stephanie Inn in Cannon Beach, OR where she always said “they still know how to pamper and please even us old spoiled ones.”

Sharon was preceded in death by her parents Carl H. and Reba O. Reiser; parents-in-law Robert and Maxine Knepper; brother Merle D. Reiser; sister-in-law Mary Ann Reiser, and Norma Jean Stevens; brother-in-law John C. (Jack) Stevens and Duane Porath.

She is survived by her husband Bob Knepper; son Robert Eugene Knepper; daughter-in-law Kathy Knepper; sister Carolyn Porath; brother Larry Reiser; sister-in-law Norma Reiser; brother-in-law Lee Knepper; along with god-daughter Tiffany Schroder Barthel; and cousins, nieces, nephews, and special friends, who were all very important to her over the years.

Family services will be held at the United Church of Christ in Thedford at a later date, along with Interment at Hillcrest Cemetery, Thedford, NE.

To leave condolences for Sharon’s family, please visit www. AllnuttLoveland.com.