Sharon Mooney Gibbons of Sparks, Nevada passed away on September 8, 2020 after a brief illness at the age of 77. Sharon was born January 12, 1943 to Mabel and Vincent Mooney in Jamaica, Queens, New York. She was the oldest of 5 children. In 1949 the family moved to Huntington Station, Long Island. She graduated from Walt Whitman High School and became the first in her family to attend college, graduating from the State University of New York at Oneonta with a teaching degree in secondary English. During her first year of teaching Sharon vacationed in Virginia Beach where she met her husband, John Gibbons, a naval seaman, who was stationed there. They were married in 1965 and lived in Vallejo, California and New London, CT where Sharon continued her teaching career. They eventually settled in Sparks, NV, John’s hometown. At this time Sharon decided to pursue a different career working for the state of Nevada, as a social worker in adoptions and foster care. In 1973 when her son Shane was born, she chose to stay home for a few years. In 1976 she returned to work getting a job with the Washoe County Social Service Department where she worked for 28 years serving families and children in many different capacities. Her crowning achievement was managing the design, construction, and programming of two emergency child protection shelters, Kids Kottage and Kids Kottage Too. Sharon retired in 2004 and started her own consulting business, SG Solutions, which created reports to the federal government for the Nevada Division of Child and Family Services. She also served on several boards most notably as chair on the Committee to Aid Abused Women. In retirement Sharon kept busy traveling with friends and family and visiting family in New York. She enjoyed bead work, painting and working for the Democratic party. Her grandson, Alex, arrived in 2012, and she helped out with babysitting and enjoyed going on outings with him as he grew. One of her passions later in life was rekindling her knowledge of French, traveling to both France and Montreal for 6 week immersion classes. She will be remembered for her wit, her passion for protecting children, her willingness to listen to all sides of a discussion and a sense of adventure. Sharon is survived by her son, Shane, of Carson City, daughter-in-law, Chris and grandson, Alex. She is also survived by her brother, Brian Mooney of Albany, NY; sisters, Pamela Tarry of Smithtown, NY; Janet Orsag of Whiting, NJ; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and dear friends. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Walton’s Funeral Home in Reno and Hess -Miller Funeral Home in Flushing, NY. Interment will be at St. John’s Cemetery in Middle Village NY.