Sharlene "Shar" Vasquez, aged 55, of Mounds View, Minnesota, passed away unexpectedly at her home on November 25, 2024. Born on April 26, 1969, in St. Cloud, Minnesota, Shar was the cherished daughter of Jeanine Kirschbaum and Bradley Kirschbaum. Her childhood was enriched by her parents' love for travel, music, and animals, which became lifelong passions for her.

A proud first-generation college graduate, Shar pursued a career in nursing, driven by her innate desire to care for others. She began her nursing career at Region’s Hospital in St. Paul, where she met her beloved husband, Thomas “Tom” Vasquez. They married in 1992, sharing a fairytale wedding and a beautiful life together for 32 years. They went on to have three children: Savanna, Roman, and Sydney.

Shar's life was full of love, family, and community. She found joy in spending time with her family, friends, neighbors, and pets. In recent years, she discovered a new passion for breeding Ragdoll cats. Shar’s strong desire to help others was fulfilled in the care of kittens and of course, her two grandchildren, Silas and Stella Duchek. If Shar was not traveling or caring for others, she could be found cheering on the Minnesota Vikings or rocking out to her favorite music playlists.

Shar is preceded in death by her grandparents, Ernest and Alice Peterson, and Myron and Loretta Kirschbaum.

She is survived by her devoted husband, Thomas; her children, Savanna (Sean) Duchek, Roman (Maria) Vasquez, and Sydney (Gemechu) Vasquez; her grandchildren; her parents, Jeanine Kirschbaum, and Brad and Sue Kirschbaum; and numerous cousins, nephews, nieces, friends, neighbors, and cherished pets.

A celebration of Shar’s life will be held at a later date. Tom is currently recovering from cervical spine surgery. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the Animal Humane Society of Minnesota.