Sharon Elaine Brown-Kabanuck

Sharon Brown Kabanuck

6/18/1951-3/16/2026

Sharon joined her husband Terry in eternal life on March 16,2026 after a long illness. She was raised in Yelm Washington and attended Yelm High School. She went on to St Martin’s College in Lacey influenced by her great grandmother, Bertha Hammerschmith, who was a member of the Mothers Club and is commemorated on the plaque at the grand staircase in the “Old Main” building.

She earned a degree in English Literature along with a teaching certificate and developed a lifelong affection for learning. She taught grade school at All Saints in Puyallup for several years and went on to a long career with the Internal Revenue Service where she met her husband appellate attorney Lt. Col. Terry Kabanuck. Her long career at the IRS included work as a pension plan specialist/trainer/manager and National Vice President of the National Treasury Employees Union.

Sharon and Terry enjoyed traveling and made a project of visiting all of the presidential libraries, visiting 40 states in the process. They also traveled internationally with their IRS colleagues to China several times, along with cruises throughout the world. They were frequent visitors to Hawaii and had many friends on the Islands.

She and Terry were devoted supporters of their respective Alma Maters. They established the Sharon Brown and Terry Kabanuck Study Abroad Scholarship at St. Martins University (Sharon’s Alma Mater) to encourage students to develop a passion for travel. In addition, they created the Terrance C. Kabanuck Scholarship Endowment for International Study at the Albers School of Business and Economics (Terry’s Alma Mater) as well as the Terrance C. Kabanuck Scholarship Endowment for International Study at the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Seattle University.

She was preceded in death by parents James and Dorothy Brown and brother Michael Brown. She is survived by siblings Garry (Lucy) Brown, Joann Brown, Susie (Steve) Walsh and Patricia Trusty. Fondly remembered as Aunt by Sarah, Jake, Katie, Teresa, Patrick, Tammy, Jennifer, Jessica, and a third generation of nieces and nephews.

Her final resting place will be the Tahoma National Cemetery with her husband Terry. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Martin’s Scholarships (Bhanna@Stmartin.edu) or Seattle University Scholarships (https://www.seattleu.edu/give/make-a-gift/) listed above.