December 2, 1949 – August 17, 2026
Sharon G. Pilgrim-Carter, age 76, of Kansas City, KS passed away on Monday, August 17, 2026, at Shawnee Gardens, Shawnee, KS, where she was residing as a memory care patient.
She was born in Kansas City, KS on December 2, 1949, to J.C. and Dean Pilgrim.
Sharon attended Washington Rural High School in Kansas City, KS, graduation in 1967. She went on to marry her high school sweetheart, Jerry Carter, in December of 1968 at Bridal Cave in Camdenton, MO.
She was preceded in death by both parents; her baby brother, Gary Michael Pilgrim; her best friend and little sister, Sandy Kay Pilgrim-Smith; her mother-in-law, Nellie Carter-Bailey; father-in-law, Howard “Bunny” Carter; two sisters-in-law, Norma Carter-Brown and Linda Carter; and a precious angel baby boy, born stillborn in March 1973.
She is survived by her loving and devoted husband of 57 years, 227 days; daughter, Cristy Carter-Verbenec; son, Jason (Miranda) Carter; four beloved grandchildren, Caitlyn (Tim), Kyle and Cole Alterman, and Trace Antonopoulos; three great-granddaughters, Skylar, Addelyn, and Lorali Valentine that she absolutely adored! She has one surviving sibling, Johnny Pilgrim, and several nieces and nephews that she loved as if they were her own.
Sharon was a polio survivor, which she contracted when she was two years old, having surgeries every summer all the way through high school. She never got to do “regular” kids activities: she never learned to swim or ride a bike…but she never let her “flipper” (as we lovingly called it) slow her down. She knew her limitations, but she kept up with everyone and never complained. She loved her family fiercely, she loved traveling, sewing, any hobbies that kept her hands busy…and she loved being at the lake…first the Ozarks, then Branson, before moving back to the Kansas side to be closer to family.
As an adult, she went through a few different careers: Bell telephone operator, Century 21 Real Estate agent for a minute, house cleaner and several office jobs, including Kansas City Peterbilt, of which everyone will forever remember their packing tape securing Ft. Knox under every Christmas present’s wrapping paper for a couple of years…oh, and we never trust boxes! Then she found her true career, one she loved, one she was proud of. She became a bus driver for USD500, Kansas City, KS Public Schools, which she did until her disability caught up with her, and she was no longer able to sit all day.
She ended up being a victim of the cruel disease of dementia/Alzheimer’s. But we’re SO thankful, she never forgot us, she remembered us until the end. She will forever be missed and forever be loved.
There will be no public service. If you would like to make a donation in her memory, we suggest the Alzheimer’s Association or Kansas City Kansas Animal Services
Obituary published by Charter Funerals.
