Sharon Toreson Snay (Shari), aged 85, passed away on July 25, 2024 in Escondido, CA.  She was born on June 5th, 1939 to Bessie and Lawrence Toreson in Fresno, CA.

As a child Shari had many interests including cooking in the kitchen with her mom, piano, ballet, tap, and swimming.  She loved riding her bike and playing with neighborhood friends.  She also loved animals which began a lifelong passion to helping provide a good home to many four-legged friends over the years.  She was baptized and regularly attended the Fowler Presbyterian Church with her family.

Shari attended Arizona State University where she was a member of the Delta Gamma sorority and received her BA degree in education.  After graduating Shari became an elementary school teacher and taught in the San Diego School District for four years.  She then moved to Honolulu and taught at the Puna Hou elementary school for one year.

Hawaii was one of her favorite places after taking the Lureline to Honolulu in 1959 when Hawaii got their state hood.  She followed that trip with another one in 1963 with her sister Carol where they visited all of the islands.  That led to her wanting to live and work there.

She then moved back to San Diego where at Christmas 1965 she met the love of her life, her "fly boy" Lieutenant Frank Snay at the officer's club at Miramar Naval Air Station.  They maintained a long-distance romance until they were married in July 1970.

After a brief residence in the Chicago area, they moved back to California and into their Poway home in 1977.  They raised their two sons Chuck and Jay in Poway and Shari was very active in the community.  She was involved with UCP fundraising and was always a parent helper in her sons' classrooms.  Not to mention trying to keep up getting both sons to sports practices.  Shari also loved to travel and took several trips to the East Coast, Hawaii, Lake Tahoe, Europe, and many national parks.  She has many family members in the San Diego area and has had an amazing group of neighborhood friends for over 40 years.

Shari is survived by her Husband of 54 years Frank, Sister Carol, Sons Chuck and Jay, Grandchildren Cole, Lauren, and Sylvie, Niece Michelle, Nephew Greg, Sister-in-law Betsy and her niece Vicki.

In lieu of flowers, people can give to Shari's favorite charity Best Friends of the Animal Society at:

https://bestfriends.org/donate

A memorial service will be held at 10:00 am on August 7th, 2024 at the Poway Bernardo Mortuary with inurnment following at Dearborn Memorial Park.  Please join us for a reception at the home of Tom and Lorri Griffin, 13147 Avenida la Valencia in Poway after the service.