Sharon K. Kitchens

Sharon K. (Karmann) Kitchens, 80, of Bonner Springs (lifetime Dickinson/Geary County resident), passed away on Wednesday, September 21, 2022, from an aggressive battle with AML (Acute Myeloid Leukemia). Visitation will be held at Johnson Funeral Home on Thursday, October 6, 2022, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. A funeral service will take place at Johnson Funeral Home on Friday, October 7, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. with Reverend Joyce Allen officiating. Burial will follow the service at Highland Cemetery. Celebration of Life to be held at the Basehor United Methodist Church in Basehor, Kansas, on Saturday, October 8, 2022, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Bring with you, your fondest stories of Sharon to share. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Rainbow Meadows Equine Rescue and Retirement, INC., 4768 K-157 Highway P.O. Box #1452 Junction City, Kansas 66441 or Leukemia Research Foundation, 191 Waukegan Road Ste 105 Northfield, IL 60093 USA.

Sharon was born on July 29, 1942, to Herbert and Mildred Karmann of the Alida community, where Milford Lake is now located. She was the youngest of two. Uniquely, her father's twin brother married her mother's sister, and they had two boys. The two families lived and worked the same farmstead while she was growing up, so she always felt like she had three older brothers. Sharon was also outnumbered at a one-room schoolhouse, being the only girl until she entered high school. She graduated from Dickinson County Community High School (DCCHS) (now known as Chapman High School) in 1960.

At the age of 20, Sharon married James Price of Junction City, Kansas, and together they had three daughters. She raised her family, while pursuing a career with the Department of Defense civil service in Fort Riley, Kansas. After her divorce from James, she later married Benjamin Kitchens of Junction City, Kansas, and they lived together in Junction City until his death in 2011.

Family was always Sharon’s highest priority, which is why she left Junction City in 2014 and moved to Leavenworth County, Kansas, to be closer to her daughters.

Sharon grew up active in 4-H and shared that love with her daughters. She enjoyed sewing, gardening, landscaping, and home remodeling projects not only for herself, but also for each of her daughters. She was an avid bowler participating in leagues both in Junction City and Leavenworth as well as representing Kansas as a senior bowler nationally in Reno, Nevada. She was a member of the United Methodist Church in Chapman, Kansas, and later in Basehor, Kansas, after moving to Leavenworth County. She remained very active with her daughters. She worked with a personal trainer 3+ times per week to recover from a stroke a year earlier and was leg pressing 115 pounds just 3 weeks prior to her death. She loved all the animals and activities her daughters enjoyed and was frequently offering to help with those activities. She particularly enjoyed road trips and car karaoke.

Sharon is survived by her three loving Daughters, Kaylynn Johnson (Greg) of Leavenworth, KS, Tammy Hane (Ken) of Bonner Springs, KS, and Nancy Freese (Greg) of Topeka, KS; her grandchildren, Brian Johnson of Michigan, Ethan Johnson of Topeka, KS, Alex Freese of Independence, MO, Abby Freese of Topeka, KS; her great grandchildren Paris Souza, Illinois, and Isa Souza, Michigan; her double cousin Keith Karmann of Yates Center, KS, and her sister-in-law Donna Karmann, Clay Center, KS. Sharon was also affectionately known as Mom or Grandma to countless others she met and adopted along the way, including Kelton Dixon (Debbie) Hawaii and her honorary grandson, Nayle Mills, Kansas City, MO. Additionally she is survived by numerous horses, dogs, and cats of her three daughters; but her “grandpupsʺ occupied much of her time.

She was preceded in death by her husband Benjamin Kitchens; parents Herbert and Mildred Karmann; brother Lorenze Karmann, and her double cousin, Cline Karmann.

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