Sharon Rife Obituary

SHARON KAY RIFE, PH.D., 80, of Palm Beach Gardens, FL and El Paso, TX died on Saturday, February 1, 2025, in El Paso, TX. Sharon was born September 8, 1944, in Huntington, WV and was the daughter of Benjamin Franklin and Dortha Kathleen (Estes) Rife. She was the wife of Harry Ernest Hoffer, Sr. Ph.D. of Huntington, WV and John Schook of El Paso, TX. She was pre-deceased by her son Harry Ernest Hoffer, Jr. and is survived by her daughters Kathleen Rife Hoffer, Palm Beach Gardens, FL and Deirdre Elaine (Hoffer) Huff, her grandson Rowan Gray Huff and son-in-law Brett Norman Huff of Denver, CO. She was pre-deceased by her brother William Benjamin Rife of Huntington WV and is survived by her sister-in-law Nannette (Chapman) Rife of Huntington, WV and nieces Teena Michelle (Rife) Dagliere of Homosassa Springs, FL and Mary Elizabeth (Rife) O'Dell of Warwick, RI.
Sharon graduated from Barboursville High School in 1962 where in her Junior year she won an essay contest and was awarded the opportunity to go to Washington D.C. and become a Congressional Aide to U.S. House of Representatives, Kenneth Heckler and was also the President of the Speech Club. She graduated from Marshall University in 1966 with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Teachers College and received Honorable Mention from the National Future Teachers of America in her first teaching position. She obtained her Master of Arts degree from The Ohio State University while simultaneously completing a Prelaw Program with Oxford University in London, England as a Study Abroad Program with The Ohio State University. Sharon obtained her Doctor of Philosophy degree from The Union Institute in Cincinnati, OH. Sharon was a high school teacher at Enslow High School in Huntington, WV, Teays Valley High School, in Ashville, OH, Seaford High School in Seaford, DE where she was awarded Teacher of the Year, Salisbury Christian School in Salisbury, MD and Lake Worth High School, in Lake Worth, FL where she taught AP History.
Sharon was a member of the First Presbyterian Church and was a member of the Royal Poinciana Chapel in Palm Beach, FL. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Jamestowne Society, United Daughters of the Confederacy and National Society of Colonial Dames XVIIC. She loved horseback riding and rode at the Rocky Fork Hunt Club in Gahanna, OH.
Sharon was buried in Rome-Proctorville Cemetery in Proctorville, OH on February 15, 2025 where a private burial service was conducted by Rev. Eric Dugan from the Barboursville Presbyterian Church with only family members in attendance.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.chapmans-mortuary.com