Remembering Sharol Collard-- a remarkable person and humorist

Farm Humor by Sharol Collard

 In late November Sharol gave  the OK to post one of her cartoons for this fledgling blog.She had produced and published illustrated stories and calendars to the delight of her family and friends. Her spontaneous style and gentle humor warm the heart and tickle the funny bone. These slices of life reveal the merriment teeming just under the surface of daily life.
   Sharol had battled cancer for nearly two years and her struggle ended a couple of weeks ago. We visited on her last full day on earth. She was tired, weak, and feeling some pain. In all of that she smiled, joked, and wanted to talk about the facets of life in which she found her greatest joy--her family, her pets, hopes for the future, life's mysterious and wondrous qualities--
   As we talked, she asked for the sketch book and markers she had brought to the hospital. On the spot she treated me to a drawing demo featuring "stick horses" that she could enliven with gesture and expression.
   As we parted that day I didn't realize I'd not see her again. At the time her beaming smile, wave, and kind word felt like the most profound of benedictions. Later that day I commented to my wife about Sharol's joyfulness and incredible generosity of spirit. The fact that a person whose strength and energy was waning would graciously receive a visitor and happily speak about life and then offer a 'demo' was like being invited to a master class---in living.