In loving memory
Sharon Elaine Bunnett
August 7, 1935 – September 15, 2026
In lieu of flowers, her family asks that gifts be made in her memory to Monumental Recovery Foundation, so that men who cannot afford treatment can get it.
Sharon Elaine (Bonnett) Bunnett was born on August 7, 1935, in Los Angeles, and passed away peacefully on September 15, 2026, surrounded by her family, at the age of 91. She lived a life marked by resilience, humor, faith, and an unwavering devotion to the people she cherished.
She grew up on the beaches of Southern California, and the sand and the sunshine stayed with her all her life. At thirteen she appeared in the film State of the Union alongside Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, a story she carried proudly ever after. She went on to become a California state champion baton twirler and performed in the Tournament of Roses Parade.
She met William E. “Bill” Bunnett at South Gate High School. They married and raised five boys — Mike, Bret, Brian, Brad, and J.J. — across a long series of moves, from Southern California to Clovis, Lubbock, Amarillo, Denver, and finally Dallas. Bill built the businesses; Sharon built the homes. She understood exactly what her part was, and she made every new house a place of calm to meet the inevitable storms of life.
She was an extraordinary cook and host. Saturday night dinner parties and Sunday family dinners were her routine, and the house was always full — her sons’ friends were treated as her own. She was a strong woman with strong opinions, and she raised her boys to be the same. Her advice was unforgettable: “If anyone tries to bully you, give them one in the breadbasket and one in the snot locker.” They grew up knowing their mother was their protector, their champion, and their steady anchor.
Faith came to Sharon later in life, at Fellowship Bible Church of Dallas, where the warmth of the community gave her room to grow. She traveled to the Holy Land and was baptized in the Jordan River — a profound and deeply personal expression of her belief in Christ.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Bert and Frances Bonnett, and by her son Michael. She is survived by her sons Bret, Brian, Brad, and J.J.; her daughters-in-law Cindy, Francis, and Andrea; her grandchildren Blake, Chris, Will, Luke, Jake, Miller, Harper, JB, Ike, Julian, Samantha, and Martin; and her great-grandchildren Boston, Emma, Collins, Charlie, and Wally. Her family was her greatest joy, and they will carry her stories, her strength, her humor, and her love forward for generations.
Family and friends will gather to celebrate her life on November 7.
Her family has asked that she be remembered with something lasting rather than with flowers. Her grandson, Will Bunnett, helped build Monumental Recovery Foundation, and gifts given in Sharon’s name go to the scholarship fund — supporting men seeking healing from addiction who would otherwise lack the means to get it.
How to give in her memory
Please send a check.
The family has asked that memorial gifts come by mail rather than online, so every dollar arrives whole and each gift can be acknowledged personally.
Make the check payable to
Monumental Recovery Foundation
Write in the memo line
In memory of Sharon Bunnett
Mail it to
Monumental Recovery Foundation
825 Lakeside Drive
Carbondale, CO 81623
Please include your name and mailing address so the foundation can send you a written acknowledgment, and so the family can be told who gave. If you would like your gift to remain anonymous to the family, just say so in the envelope and we will honor that.
Monumental Recovery Foundation is a Colorado nonprofit corporation. Our application for 501(c)(3) recognition is in process; we will notify donors when our determination letter arrives. Please check with your own tax advisor about deductibility in your situation.
Where these gifts go
Straight to a bed, for a man who is ready.
Memorial gifts join the scholarship fund. Scholarship money is paid directly to an approved treatment program on a man's behalf, never handed out as cash, and every award is documented. Our directors serve without compensation.
If you would like to know more about the work Sharon's memorial gifts are supporting, the story page explains why the foundation exists.
Questions about a memorial gift, or want to arrange something else? Email give@monumentalrecovery.org and a person will answer.