COMMUNITY GRIEVES UNEXPECTED DEATH OF LIFELONG CUSTOM HOUSE RESIDENT

Funeral services were held 8th January 2008 for Sharon Anne Small, 44, who died unexpectedly on 28th December.  A life-long resident of Custom House, Sharon was a well-known figure in the community, and hundreds of shocked and grieving mourners attended the services, held at her Ascension Church, with burial following at East London Cemetery.

Family friend Phil Lee, Custom House said, “Standing around Sharon’s graveside were hundreds of people, of every shade and color, united as one family to pay tribute to one of Custom House’s finest.  That’s the real spirit of the East End, with people coming together to honor and care for their own.”

Sharon had celebrated a memorable Christmas with her two daughters, Leonie aged 18 and Kaydia aged 16.  The following day, they had a fabulous shopping day in the West End.  On the 27th, Sharon told the girls she had a headache and felt a bit unwell.  In the night, her blood pressure dropped, followed by a drop in body temperature, and her heart quit working.  The daughters rang the paramedics, but they were unable to revive her.  Sharon died at 3.30am on the 28th December in her home.  Cause of death is listed as heart failure.

Sharon was a valued member of her East End community.  She worked part-time as a chef at Alphabet House Nursery school. She served as a community mentor at The Royal Docks Community School.  She also volunteered with Ascension’s Community Integration project and helped organize a variety of community events including Pie & Mash evening, Line Dance, Salsa & Spicy Food evening and karaoke nights. 

In addition, Sharon was a key part of Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders.  Her girls joined AEC when they were four and six, and Sharon was an active parent from the beginning.  Not only did she serve as “Team Mum” to AEC’s internationally-acclaimed Senior team, Sharon also prepared leadership banquets for the three younger squads, which involved cooking special meals for 80 people.

AEC Head Coach Angela Brown said, “Some girls go through their teenage years thinking their Mum’s are out-of-touch; it wasn’t like that with Kaydia and Leonie.  They had the gift and the insight of appreciating every moment with their Mum.  Together they shared in everything, and they gained much wisdom from Sharon’s years of experience, level-headed outlook and unfailing sense of humour.”

Because of this very close relationship, not only did Sharon’s daughters benefit from their Mum’s wisdom and experiences, but she was also able to play an important role in their friends’ lives as well.  Sharon was famous for organizing outings, and would travel into the West End accompanied by flocks of teenagers.  

AEC member Natalie Baptiste, Custom House said, “Sharon was someone all the young people wanted to be around.  They called her Auntie or Mummy Sharon, and were all her adopted kids.  Sharon had a wicked sense of humour, that lifted people up, rather than ever putting anyone down.  Sharon kept her standards high; she knew how to have fun without lowering herself, and she made you want to do the same.  That is an excellent quality that I hope will live on in each of her adopted kids.  We hope we can live our lives in a way that honours her in what we do, and also by what we say no to.  That would really make her proud.”

Lifelong friend Debbie Bromley, Custom House, said, “People just felt at ease with Sharon, she was very approachable.  And when you confided in Sharon, that was as far as it went. That’s something people really respected about Sharon. So many people shared how when they were at really low points in their lives, Sharon gave them kind and comforting words that helped them to make it through.

Shara Brice MBE, asserted, “Sharon once said, ‘Our kids do more in one year as Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders, than some people do in their entire lifetimes.’  That quote is probably true of the way she lived her own life.  Sharon did so much volunteer work in our community. Just as our teenagers can honour Sharon by living lives that would make her proud, each one of us can add to her life story by being inspired to give back to our community the way she did.  As we reach out and help others, I think we will find it helps our hearts to heal from this tremendous sense of loss we are feeling.”

Sharon’s siblings say she was the “rock” of the family.  Sharon, born in 1963, was the fourth of eight children born to John and Viv Small, which included Theresa, Mona, George, Sharon, Robert, Anne, Meliza and Michelle.  Sharon attended Regent Primary School, followed by Woodside Comprehensive School.

Genefer Victorin, a Woodside school mate of Sharon’s said, “Sharon was a vibrant, cheerful, charismatic person. It’s always hard to come to terms with the loss of a wonderful person but what is reassuring is that all the selfless things Sharon did in her life will be remembered forever.” 

A memorial fund has been set up in Sharon’s honour, and will be used to assist her daughters as they carry on without their beloved Mum.  A Memory Book is also being prepared for her daughters.  Photos, memories or donations (made payable to “Ascension Church”) should be sent to Ascension Church, Baxter Road, Custom House E16 3HJ.