In Loving Memory of Sharon Treadwell

In honor of Sharon's wishes,
we will have our last opening
for Wisteria Cottage Aug 5-7,
10am-5pm.

Sharon Kay (Johnson) Treadwell passed away July 14 at age 69 after a brief and courageous battle with breast cancer metastasis after 22 years in remission. Sharon was a loving and dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister and friend, who will be missed dearly by her loved ones. She will be remembered fondly for her friendly smile, boundless energy and strong sense of identity.

Born September 20, 1946, in Castle Rock, WA, to Hap and Della Johnson, Sharon was raised in the logging industry. She attended schools in Morton and Castle Rock, and graduated from Forks High School in 1964. She spent much of her childhood travelling extensively throughout the U.S. and Canada with her family to logging shows in which her father, Hap Johnson “King of the High Climbers,” competed.

In 1966, Sharon married James (Jim) Brink of Forks, WA, and had two boys together, Brad in 1967 and Bryan in 1968. Sharon was widowed at 22 years old, with sons ages 1 and 2, when Jim died tragically in a logging truck accident.

She met Mike Treadwell of Eatonville, WA, in 1970 and the couple married on May 26, 1972. Daughter Lisa was born in 1974. Sharon and Mike raised their family of five in Olympia, WA, and lived 43 years in the same home. The couple enjoyed travelling throughout the United States and abroad over the years. They also enjoyed gardening and making their home and yard beautiful together. Sharon and Mike recently celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary in May.

Sharon worked for the State of Washington for 20 years, during which time she also took accounting courses from South Puget Sound Community College, and retired with the State as a technical writer. But Sharon’s passion was always antiquing, and in 2006 she and Mike opened Wisteria Cottage at their home selling primitives and antiques specially curated by Sharon, and rustic woodworking items made by Mike. She loved the business and it quickly grew to have a large following of shop goers from all over the northwest. She and Mike enjoyed travelling throughout the United States finding unique items for their shop, and Sharon was passionate about her vision for her shop and her customers. In May, she celebrated the 10-year anniversary of Wisteria Cottage.

In addition to antiquing and running her shop, Sharon loved gardening, flowers and flower arranging, and was an active member of the Friendly Flower Garden Club in Olympia, which she enjoyed immensely and developed many special friendships with members.

Sharon was a loving and dedicated grandparent, and treasured spending time with her grandchildren. She and Mike loved taking their grandchildren to the park, to the Hands On Children’s Museum in Olympia, and spectating at their various activities. They even built a large rustic playhouse at their home for their grandchildren to enjoy, complete with vintage children’s furniture and toys. Over the years they also made many special trips to visit their grandchildren in eastern Washington and California.

In 1994, Sharon was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent surgery and chemotherapy, and later participated in a breast cancer vaccine research program with Dr. Georg Springer at Chicago Medical School. After waiting 2 years for a spot in the program, Sharon participated for 10 years, travelling back to Chicago several times a year because the medicine could not be administered out of state. When Dr. Springer died in 1998 he left $18 million to continue his vaccine program, but funds were misappropriated at the school and the program was discontinued. The women who had participated sued, trying to get the vaccine program restarted; they won the lawsuit, but were unable to get the program restarted.

Sharon is survived by husband, Mike Treadwell, sons Brad Brink and Bryan Brink (partner Cathy Carlone), daughter Lisa Lawrence (husband Josh), and five grandchildren: Morgan O’Connell (Brink), Connor Brink, Addison Lawrence, Ava Lawrence and Kellen Lawrence. Also, she is survived by mother Della Mae (Mets) Johnson, and siblings Judy Dudonsky (husband Dick) and Gary Johnson (wife Karen). She is preceded in death by her father Hap Johnson, and first husband James Brink.

The family wishes to thank Dr. James Lechnor, oncologist, and Dr. Sarah Lux, internist, and their staffs for their care throughout the years, and the Friendly Flower Garden Club for all their help.

The family is hosting an open house at their home Saturday, Sept. 3, 12-4pm, in celebration of her life. For more information, email lisa@gardvintners.com.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Sharon’s memory to Providence SoundHomeCare & Hospice, 413 Lilly Road NE, Olympia, WA 98506 or providence.org/giving