Estate of Sharon Whalen

Sharon Whalen, nee Dykstra, was an extraordinary woman. She was blessed with a joyous and loving nature and a passion for life. She welcomed each day with her beaming smile, open arms, and an open heart. Her years of study at Calvin, culminating in 1971 with a degree in English, were the start of a long journey of adventure and learning. She was at various times a teacher, a tree planter, a poet, a blaster working in the mountains of Colorado and Wyoming, a librarian, an editor, a chorister, a church secretary, a gardener, a practitioner of yoga and tai chi, and always an avid and thoughtful reader.
She and her husband Bob were a formidable team. They hauled boxes of dynamite, hiked for endless hours across Colorado and Wyoming searching for arrowheads, and formed a successful company for the development of oilfield cleanup chemicals, which resulted in securing a patent. Later in life, they made a pact. Both would leave their share of their estate to the educational institutions nearest to their hearts, the places most significant in forming their characters and futures. For Sharon, that meant Calvin. She cherished the thought of sharing possibilities with young people, encouraging the love of God and learning. May her memory be a blessing.