Donald (Don) Sharek
November 9, 1948 ~ June 9, 2022
Marietta Southern Cremations & Funerals
Donald “Don” Sharek, a kind soul and a true gentleman beloved by many, passed away June 9, 2022, in Atlanta. Don acquired a hospital infection during a routine outpatient surgery. He was 73.
He was born November 9, 1948, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Joseph and Rosalie Sharek, who preceded him in death. He grew up in western Pennsylvania, where he was an altar boy as well as a talented and award-winning athlete, playing baseball, basketball and football.
In 1966 he graduated from Chartiers Valley Senior High School, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and earned a full college scholarship to play baseball. However, after high school he was drafted and faithfully served his country in the U.S. Navy. While in the Navy, he traveled the world as a Tartar missile defense systems technician aboard the guided missile ship U.S.S. John King. He wrote home from places such as Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; St. Paul’s Bay, Malta; Naples, Italy; Cannes, France; and Athens and Kavala in Greece. A recipient of the National Defense Service Medal, Don loved his country and was proud of his military service.
Upon returning home, he attended the Penn Technical Institute, Pittsburgh, and in 1977 he received an associate’s degree in specialized technology. He also received a diploma in mechanical drafting and design from Triangle School of Drafting, Pittsburgh.
Don was a Strategic Account Manager for EMC Corp., retiring in October of 2015 after nearly 20 years of service. His passions included playing golf with the esteemed Kilted Bushmen golf club, cheering on the Pittsburgh Steelers, and enjoying beer and chicken wings with friends, family and clients. He also enjoyed riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles and once rode from Maine to California to see the country he loved so much. Additionally, he participated in numerous fundraising events, including several charity rides with fellow Harley-Davidson enthusiasts.
In 2007, he married the love of his life, Lisa Mayer Sharek, and together they built a life in the Atlanta area. In 2015, they were involved in a very serious motorcycle accident, which eventually claimed Don’s left leg. Throughout a lengthy hospitalization and even longer rehabilitation period, Don soldiered on—a testament to his perseverance, positive attitude and strong will to live. A fighter and a warrior, Don also was a cancer survivor who endured a full oncologic treatment that included a bone marrow transplant as well as a rigorously taxing recuperation. Not one to complain, he never gave up or lost his love for golf - or his zest for life.
Don was a wonderful listener and a people person, who could get along with anyone and diffuse stressful situations with his relaxed and relatable demeanor. He was a kind man with a huge heart who will be greatly missed.
In addition to his wife, those left to cherish his memory include his sister, Judith Sharek-Murray, Kentucky; and his niece, Deanna Hickman, Minnesota.
A service will be held at a later date. Please visit the following e-site to share your favorite memories, or post a photo of Don: https://www.southerncremations.com/obituaries/Donald-Don-Sharek?obId=25148283#/obituaryInfo
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A celebration of life (livin’ the dream) will be held in July. Details to follow.
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Don has been my “Budso” for over 50 years! Truly one in a million. He could never, ever be replaced! I am so blessed to have had him in my life. Everyone loved Don when they met him……made ya feel like he knew ya forever! I have oh so many wonderful memories of our escapades together over the years…can’t help but smile when I think of them! My bested buddy in the entire world! Dons light will live on in each of us. He impacted the lives of so many people. A man’s man, but yet a sweet, gentle, honest, sincere, caring and loving guy! He will truly be missed!
Peace, love and bear hugs for my “Budso”! I will see ya on the other side!
The 3 musketeers,aka, the 3 stooges……my hubby, John, Me (Dee), and my “Budso” Don…… memorial motorcycle tribute to 9/11……
Don had sent me a five foot stuffed Winnie the Pooh bear, along with this adorable plaque . . .I always loved them both, but will cherish them forever!💙🧸🫂
My first motorcycle ride was with you as a 4 year old at the old house in Pittsburgh. I still remember the helmet was huge! You will always be my favorite uncle. Although we didn’t get to chat much, we always picked up right where we left off. 🙂 The world is a sadder place without your brilliant wit, wisdom and smile. I love you. Give your folks a big kiss and hug from me. I’ll see you when I get there but until then, I miss you dearly. Love always, “Deanne”
Great memory of playing the RTJ Trail! We love you, Lisa! Scott & Kathy
i haven’t known don very long, but in a short while i had no choice but to love him and to look up to him as a role model. he had a way that was sweet, but somehow with zero saccharine. and you can see he was a seriously accomplished man, but at the same time he led with a humble, generous and very positive spirit. i feel cheated because it’s rare to find such a cool man, and i’m sure we were just beginning to form a deeper bond, and now, what?, he’s gone? how can that be? it’s insane. i’d like to relate 2 episodes: 1) don and lisa invited me and my wife, jingyu, to golf with them at white columns country club, and don golfed with ONE LEG, and he slammed EVERY frickin drive long and straight right down the middle of the fairway. how did he do that? i asked him “how do you do that? do you use your wrists more?” and he said “yeah”. lol! then he taught me how to stay back on my drives and hit the ball higher and longer 🙂 2) don and lisa were going to join my 9-ball pool league, and i told don “on my last team they didn’t like the name i chose” and don asked me “what was the name” and i told him i wanted to call the team: The Misunderstood. and here’s what don quietly said that made me feel really good, he said: “i like that”. and where others sometimes say anything to go along with things, somehow i knew that don DID like that name. goodbye don, you made a mark in this world, even with me, whom you only knew for a short while. with love, todd
This is how I remember Don! Always smiling! He loved playing golf but truly loved being on the golf course with Lisa and enjoying the day. He enjoyed spending time with friends and just enjoying life. He will be greatly missed! My deepest condolences.
I met Don as a client. When one is new and inexperienced in a field one never forgets those who are kind and patient. Don treated me with great kindness. I was to find out he treated everyone with kindness. He was a very dedicated employee, true to the company, but always supportive me if his customers and other employees. I was very fortunate to have been able to meet and work with him. He exuded sincerity in all his interactions. I miss him.
Don, you left such an incredible mark in our lives and you showed us what is to be a kind, cheerful and positive guy. I will always cherish all the moments we shared and will remember you like you deserve to be remembered: With a smile. I meet you in your single days but I’ve never seen you as happy and proud as the day you told me you met a great girl…the same girl who would be by your side till the last moment. We’ll see each other again one day and we’ll enjoy beers and laughs like we used to. I know you are next to my dad right now just like in this photo laughing with him, with a drink in your hand. Love and miss you my friend
Don was a very special friend! I will miss him a lot! I met Lisa and him during my years as an au pair in Atlanta. From the first day that I met him, he was always kind and even took me for a Harley ride! He came to Brazil for my wedding and even though there was a language barrier with my mom and some relatives, he was always such a loving guy and the love that he gave to me and my family was bigger than any challenge the language would bring as we would speak the language of love! Thanks for always being this amazing guy! I will love you forever Don! Luciana
Fair Winds and Following Seas If they are remembered, they are not gone truly, they simply change duty assignments and are among our best. Jim Marshall Georgia Patriot Guard, Ride Captain US Navy (Submarine Service) Veteran
Pat and I will miss Don’s big smile and gentle heart! We shared lots of good times golfing, boating and eating. We will always treasure those memories!!
I had the pleasure of knowing Don for a little over 20 years. He was an amazing person who had a heart full of love for everyone. There are so many great memories that I will cherish forever. RIP my dear friend! XOXO Heidi
Some people you work with you become friends. Others become lifetime friends. Don was one of those who became my lifetime friend. Don you are missed. -Kevin
Don and Lisa would come visit us after they played on a golf course that was further north from them. Don would always come in bragging about what a good job Lisa did. Afterwards Chris and I were always wondering what kind of golfer Don was. He never spoke of himself. He wasn’t one to talk about himself. Was he any good? Who knows, but he was sure proud of Lisa! I also remember visiting Don and Lisa while they were in the hospital after their motorcycle and truck collision. Don really did not complain about himself. He shrugged things off and said he has been hurt before. He told us he was most concerned about Lisa saying she has never been really been hurt before. He was really concerned about how she was doing. He always cared about other people more than himself. I loved looking over at Don when we would take him out on a pontoon ride. He always had his eyes closed, hair blowing in the breeze, and a big smile on his face. I loved seeing him like that as looking at him made me enjoy the ride all the more. He was completely at peace and this is how I imagine him now.
Don was just a special guy. Handsome, smart, talented, helpful, always smiling, and one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. I won my first Hack ‘n Wacker golf trophy with him and thought we might repeat the following year. There was a really long delay to the start of that next tournament. Don spent it at the driving range. I thought maybe he wasted all of his good shots practicing, because he wasn’t playing his usual 5-handicap game on the front 9. I asked Don if maybe he had one too many Coors Lights before we teed off and that’s why he wasn’t hitting well. Don said, “No, I haven’t even had one beer yet!” So, I responded with, “Well, then let’s get that beer cart over here right now!” and we had a good laugh. The next year he met his permanent Hack ‘n Wacker partner (Lisa, of course) during one of our regular group golf outings. They then became the primary competition to everyone at the annual tournament, as they added to their trophy count each year. Rich became my new “ringer” (also a 5-handicap), and one of the years that we all played in the same foursome, Rich and I were actually leading by one stroke toward the end of the round, until his putt got deflected by a tiny blade of grass. We ended up losing the official tournament tie-breaker to Don and Lisa, but I couldn’t think of a better couple to lose to. It breaks my heart that I won’t have the opportunity to play with or against Don anymore, but I hope we will continue the Sharek Invitational to honor his memory. Rest in peace, my friend.
Don was a one of a kind kinda guy. A perfect gentleman in all respects. Don & Lisa would join us on our pontoon for a cruise on Lake Lanier. You knew Don was at peace as he shut his eyes and just felt the breeze as the pontoon cut through the waters. As a motorcyclist myself it was the same feeling when Don was riding his Harley. Just enjoying the moment, feeling free from anxiety, at peace with the world. I can relate to those feelings and I find envy that Don enjoyed those moments. Don was not an attention seeker, he’d often give 100% to others with words of encouragement. He wrote the book on the etiquette of being a true gentleman. He will forever be remember as a remarkable friend.
Golf and Beer, how could we not become friends. We spent endless days in a big green field chasing that very annoying white ball around, but you always made it fun. Don, having our birthdays on back to back days in Nov, always gave us another reason to celebrate. You and your happy, carefree spirit, will be dearly missed by all who met you. Hope the tee times in heaven start early and the beer cart runs all day. Rest In Peace Don.
Goodbye, My Friend… Although I will never know why God had to take you so quickly and far too soon, I do know that you will be missed by so many. What I most remember is your consistent happy smile, your warm soul, your sense of fun, and your unwavering zest for life. It is so very difficult to think of you as gone. You brought joy to every life you touched without exception. I find comfort in knowing that your beautiful soul will live on forever in our memories and our hearts. Your spirit has been set free to be with God. I will say goodbye for now knowing that you are resting in eternal peace, pain free, and awaiting the day that all our friends unite again in heaven. I will forever love you my dear friend. Sherry Manuel
We will always cherish Don’s big heart, smile, and love of life. We came to know Don from our friendship with Lisa. From the beginning you could tell Don was a man of great character and integrity. And for as much as he loved life, he loved Lisa even more. The only negative I could ever find with Don was he was a die hard Steelers fan (I’m a die hard Brown’s fan). Through him conquering cancer and getting back on the golf course after a long rehabilitation and adaptation to a prosthetic leg, Don has been an inspiration to Ely and I and our son Jake. RIP Don, your legacy will surely live on.
Jay Maipath & the Kilted Bushmen crew I first met Don in one of our clubs golf tournaments, many years ago. He was a kind, soft-spoken gentleman who always smiled. And he was one of the straightest hitters of the golf ball I ever saw. Cool , calm and calculated – he never showed any signs of stress and was a very tough competitor. I remember the day when he won a RyderCup singles match 10-8, obliterating his opponent ! It’s unfortunate that his accident and health issues plagued his last few years. At one-over-par , gone to soon my friend! Rest In Peace Cappie Don!!
I first met “The Tall Guy” – Don’s moniker at the time – where else, but on the golf course some 20+ years ago. Don had a great golf game and was always willing to share his knowledge on the science of a golf swing whenever asked (and I asked a lot!). A true gentleman in every sense of the word, he was a pleasure to not only golf with, but to socialize with as well. An unwavering fighter, I never knew him to complain or gripe about anything, particularly in the tough times since 2014 – the quintessential example of will, grit and perseverance. Don was the most patient and unflappable individual I have ever met – with one notable exception (and here comes the golf story). Don and I were part of a group of friends that would pick a new golf course to play every Sunday. Our coordinator (thanks Beano!) would do her best to ensure that there were guy/girl pairings in each of the carts for each of our Sunday outings. For several weeks in a row, I was paired with the same attractive newcomer to our group (which, of course, was fine by me!). Don absolutely thought that this was not fair and approached me about it in very uncharacteristic (for Don) manner. In my shock, it seemed that my only available course of action was to introduce him to my cart partner. This turned out a lot better for Don than me as he and Lisa spent the rest of their golfing days together. Lisa, Don was truly one-of-a-kind, and I am so sorry for your loss. He will be missed by many, but never forgotten. Hopefully, those who’s lives he touch can get together regularly for an outing to honor his memory and all of the many good times together.
Whether he was sinking putts on the golf course or selling puts in the stock market, Don did it with charm, grace and wit. He was so much fun to be around and so patient and kind with those of us who were less talented on the golf course. Don, your life here on earth ended far too early but your legacy endures. I hope you are smiling down from heaven as your friends share memories and laughter in honor of you. I love seeing the pictures of the full life you lived. The travels, the celebrations and the love show a man whose priorities and heart were in the right place! You are here with us in spirit and you always will be!!
Don always seemed like the cool guy of the party. Always full of stories to share, and inspiring other to enjoy life to the fullest. He was so kind and had an amazing character that inspires me to this day. It has been such a blessing that I was able to get to know him. Will forever miss him, Danny Esquivel
Today is your livin the dream celebration of life! We could not be there, but we did our own lil thing to honor ya here in “Da Burgh”! How bout all those lovin heartfelt words? You have touched so many lives! YOU WILL NEVER, EVER BE FORGOTTEN! You are whole and healthy again! REST IN PEACE MY DEAR, DEAR FRIEND!
Lisa, May the Lord gently wrap his arms around you, comfort you, and keep you in his care! Remember, you are loved and have tons of people supporting and praying for you!
This is the beautiful banner Lisa had made for Don’s Celebration Of Life! Whenever ya asked him how things were going, no matter how dire the current situation, this was ALWAYS Don’s response….LIVIN THE DREAM! Rest in peace without anymore trials and tribulations my dear friend! You will be MISSED by so many, but you will NEVER be forgotten!
Happy Birthday Baby. I loved you today. Love you always. Your friends came out to celebrate you. We love you…so much.
Sweets, we celebrated you around the globe yesterday, with toasts from Italy, Portugal, Brazil, and many dear friends in the states. Amy and Tom came to be here with us. Love you, miss you and will never forget. Keep livin the dream…❤️
Happy Birthday Sweets. What a beautiful fall day at Atlanta National celebrating you. Many messages pouring in today. We love you, miss you and wish you a happy, heavenly birthday today. Sweet dreams, Babester
17 years ago. Windermere. Best day ever. Love you more than you know.
Love you sweets. A toast to you from many dear friends. Miss you..love you. ❤️❤️
Happy Birthday Babe. A peaceful day in Canton and at AN. With a tree in your honor to grow strong like you. Always and forever. ❤️
Miss you every day Sweets.
Your smile, your laugh, you. Love you so much.
You are so missed every day.