Sharon Dudgeon

Sharon Jane Dudgeon, age 66 years of Buchanan, Michigan, daughter, sister, aunt, devout Adventist, musician, counselor, and General Manager of radio station WAUS died peacefully at 1:05 p.m. on Wednesday, November 23, 2022 with her family gathered around at Spectrum Lakeland Medical Center in Saint Joseph, Michigan following an accidental fall outside at her home the previous Thursday.  Her family elected to enhance and extend the lives of others through organ and tissue donation to Michigan-Eversight and Gift of Life – Michigan.

She was born on April 30, 1956 in Oswego, New York to William E. and Jane A. (Roberts) Dudgeon, and was graduated in 1974 from the Pioneer Valley Academy in Braintree, Massachusetts.  She continued her education at the former Atlantic Union College in Lancaster, Massachusetts, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education in 1979, and began her professional life as a junior high school band director.  Her primary performance instrument was the saxophone.  In 1986, she earned a Master of Music degree from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, and began her radio career as Music Director at WAUS 90.7 FM with a format of classical music and inspirational programing.  She moved-on to radio stations throughout the Midwest United States, returning to WAUS as General Manager and on-air personality in 1994.  Through WAUS’s online webstream, and her participation at Adventist World Radio and Adventist Radio Network, the wonderful and unique voice of Sharon was heard around the world, a voice which clearly represented her cheerful personality and great smile.

Under her leadership, WAUS increased its region, listeners, and financial support, and in 2006 moved WAUS to brand-new purpose-built facilities, the John and Dede Howard Studios in the new Howard Performing Arts Center.

More recently, Sharon had completed courses and had been licensed in Michigan as a Limited Licensed Counselor, serving at a clinic in Saint Joseph.

Sharon was a member of the Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University, where she also organized and hosted vegetarian-oriented cooking classes.  She gathered every Thursday with a group of ladies in their homes for knitting and fellowship. She was a member of VegMichiana which supports vegan and vegetarian lifestyles, and was a member and Past President of the Berrien Springs/Eau Claire club of Rotary International.  She previously served on the board of the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra, and performed with the University Chorale and the University Singers.

At home, Sharon’s cooking skills featured a vegetarian fruitcake and a vegan cheesecake.  She enjoyed travel, both throughout the United States, and European tours, the most recent of which included the country of Turkey, and traveling on a yacht to the Greek island of Patmos.  She was an avid birdwatcher, keeping binoculars always nearby, but also cared for her pet cats, Princess Meow and Chairman Meow.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Jane Dudgeon on January 17, 1981 and by a sister, Marcia Joy Dudgeon on September 3, 2011.

Surviving family includes her father, Pastor William E. Dudgeon of Buchanan; Sharon’s brother, William E. (& Cheryl) Dudgeon, Jr. of Grand Rapids, Michigan; a niece, Tricia Erin (& Tony) Krezinski and their daughter Eloise; a nephew, Pastor William E. (& Cali) Dudgeon III, and their daughter, Evalynn; and an amazing circle of wonderful friends, fellow musicians, and radio station supporters and listeners.

Services for Sharon Dudgeon will be at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 4, 2022 at the Pioneer Memorial Church, 8655 University Boulevard, Berrien Springs with Lead Pastor Dwight K. Nelson of Pioneer Memorial officiating.  The family will receive relatives and friends on Sunday at PMC beginning at 1:00 p.m.  Committal services will be private, at a later date, at Rose Hill Cemetery in Berrien Springs.  The service will be available, livestreamed on the Halbritter-Wickens Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/halbritterwickensfuneralservices /

Contributions in memory of Sharon Dudgeon may be made to WAUS, Berrien Springs, Michigan 49104; https://www.waus.org/ .  Arrangements were completed at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Services, 615 East Main Street in Niles, Michigan  Online condolences may be left at:

www.halbritterwickens.com

Sharon clearly enjoyed all of life including the wonders of creation, the joys of cooking and knitting, traveling the world, and both the experience of live music performance and replaying recordings of those performances.  All of this was done in fellowship with others, both face-to-face and alone behind the microphone while thousands listened; and all done in the Adventist traditions of Christianity, clearly fulfilling the command to Love God and Love People.