Dr. Sharon Lea VanOteghen, 74, died March 30, 2013 at the Methodist Hospice Center in Memphis, TN. Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m Saturday, April 6th at at Elim Covenant Church, 5201 18th Ave in Moline with a burial following at Moline Memorial Park Cemetery.Visitation will be 10 a.m. to service time Saturday at the church. Sharon was born January 27, 1939 in Rock Island, IL the daughter of Frank J. and Ethel V.(Wahlgren) VanOteghen. Sharon was a member of Elim Covenant Church in Moline, IL and attended Central Church in Memphis, TN, where she served in the women's ministry. Sharon attended Moline Public High School and graduated valedictorian of her class in 1957. She continued her education at the University of Iowa and received her bachelor's (1961) and masters (1968) degrees in Health, Physical Education and Recreation. She was a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta and Pi Lambda Delta Honor Society and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. Sharon went on to receive her Doctorate in Physical Education at Indiana University in 1973 and received the John H. Edwards Award, the highest award given to five graduate students each year. Early in her career she taught at the secondary level in public schools in Minneapolis and Davenport and in 1977 began teaching undergraduate and graduate courses at the University of Memphis in the Physical Education Department of Health and Sports Sciences where she was recently honored for 36 years. Sharon also took additional semester hours in business in 1992 and graduated Phi Kappa Phi at the University of Memphis. Though her Christian faith defined her, she was dedicated to all aspects of physical education, health and wellness. Sharon was accomplished in her career and participated in hundreds of committees and seminars focusing on education, aging, wellness and health and sports sciences. She has over 60 publications and conducted, written and published over 60 oral histories. Sharon has received many honors and awards in her career beginning in High School with the American Legion Citizenship Award to her appointment to co-chair the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Health in the State of Tennessee in which she was involved from 1996-2003. She was also appointed a Tennessee delegate at the White House Conference on Aging in 1995 and an alternate delegate in 2005. Sharon had many friends and colleagues whom she loved and deeply respected and she enjoyed spending time with every one of them in wherever life brought them. As camp counselors, playing field hockey, tennis or golf, going to a country music concert, planning activities with her women's ministry, lunches out with friends or traveling the country doing oral history studies or conventions. She was always independent and active and showed strength, integrity and courage throughout her life. Sharon believed firmly in her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and taught that part of physical wellness began with spiritual wellness, and that was found in the Bible. She attributes her strong belief in the Word of God to her parents and her Sunday school teachers at Elim, namely Katie Clarke. Sharon is survived by her sister in law, Anita VanOteghen, three nieces and their husbands Mary Jo & Pat Ribar, Omaha NE, Monica & Andrew Johnson, Knoxville, IL and Kristine & Shawn Anderson, Geneseo, IL and by her great nieces and nephews, Michelle, David, Rachel, Christian, Reagan, Olivia and Ava. Her parents and brother, Dennis, preceded her in death. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Van Oteghen HSS Scholarship Fund, and mailed to Department 238, The University of Memphis Foundation, P.O. Box 1000, Memphis, TN 38148. This is a scholarship fund honoring Sharon and her dedication to education in Health and Sports Sciences. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.vanhoe.com.

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