Minnetonka, MN - Sharon Lee Herpers (nee Safford) of Minnetonka passed away on February 10, 2026. Sharon was born July 18, 1940 and was raised in the Tri-Cities area of Washington, graduating from Pasco High School. She graduated from Whitman College in Walla Walla Washington where she met her future husband, Ferdinand (Jeff) Herpers, as well as many lifelong friends. Sharon and Jeff met while she was a freshman, giving him a prospective student tour, and were together until his death in 2005.

Sharon was a junior high school teacher in Portland, Oregon prior to having children. When she and Jeff began a family, they moved to Minnetonka, Minnesota where she lived for almost six decades, until her passing.

After her children became school aged, she went to work in the publishing industry, retiring as Vice President of AGS Publishing. She made many friends at work, school, church, and in the neighborhood. She was an active member of St. David's Episcopal Church in Minnetonka for almost 60 years, as well as St. John's Episcopal Church on Pine Island where she and Jeff were snowbirds, spending winters in Florida. Sharon was kind, generous, and loving. She had a wonderful sense of humor and loved traveling, watching the Twins and Vikings, playing bridge, reading, doing crosswords, and spending time with family and friends.

Sharon was preceded in death by her husband of over 40 years, Ferdinand (Jeff) Herpers, and her parents Ralph and Anna Irene Safford. She is survived and will be dearly missed by her children Richard Herpers (Cindy), David Herpers (Gwen), and Amy Steiner (John); as well as her grandchildren (Anna, Maria, Patrick, Kayla, Nicollet, Lillian, Ben, Abby, Hannah, and Justin) and great grandchildren (Harry, Trevor, and Nora). She is also survived by her brother Robert Safford (Martha), her brother in-law John Herpers (Nancy), and nieces and nephews (Laura, Janine, JG, Aaron, and Ericka).

In lieu of flowers, it was Sharon's request that donations be made to: St. David's Church in Minnetonka MN, St. John's Church in Pine Island FL, or Sharing and Caring Hands, MN.

A funeral service will be held at 2:00 PM on 02-20-2026 at St. David's Church, 13000 St. David's Road.