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Sharon (Taylor) Filion, 86, of East Haven passed away on Feb. 23 at St. Raphael Campus of Yale New Haven Hospital surrounded by her family. She was born June 27, 1935, in Springvale, Maine to Merle and Alice (Saunders) Taylor.

Sharon is survived by her devoted husband of 66 years, Robert Filion, and four loving children, Michael Filion (Shirley) of East Haven, Scott Filion (Lisa) of Cheshire, Janet Ragusa (John) of Cheshire, and Kimberly Filion of East Haven. She is also survived by five grandchildren she adored, David Filion, Laura Filion, Samantha Ragusa (fiancé, Tyler Lavorgna), Nicholas Ragusa, and Louis Giangrande, and one brother, Anthony Taylor (Elaine) of Waterboro, Maine.

Sharon graduated from Sanford High School and attended Nasson College in Springvale, Maine. After leaving Maine, she worked at Liberty Mutual in Boston, Massachusetts before marrying her high school sweetheart and moving to Connecticut to raise her family.

Sharon loved returning to her home state of Maine yearly with her family where she enjoyed visiting with family and friends for vacations and holidays. She was especially fond of spending time at the cottage on the lake and at Wells Beach where she enjoyed her clam strips and steamed hamburgers.

She was an avid fan of the Boston Red Sox and UConn women’s basketball and never missed the opportunity to be the BIGGEST fan at her children and grandchildren’s sporting events, dance recitals, and any other activities in which they were involved.

Throughout Sharon’s life, she had many interests. She was a voracious reader and a true cat lover and enjoyed gardening. She adored the many hours she spent walking on the water company trails with her husband by her side and in her 70s, began participating in 5k events, placing in her age group multiple times.

Family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 2, in the Clancy-Palumbo Funeral Home (Clancy Funeral Home), 43 Kirkham Avenue, East Haven. In recognition of her favorite color, please wear a touch of red in her honor. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 3, in St. Pio of Pietrelcina Parish at the Church of Our Lady of Pompeii, 355 Foxon Road, East Haven, with committal to follow at East Lawn Cemetery in East Haven. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to: the Alzheimer’s Association Connecticut Chapter, 200 Executive Blvd., Suite 4b, Southington, CT 06489 or Alley Cat Allies, 81 Fournier St., New Haven, CT 06511, in memory of our wife, mother, and grandmother, Sharon Filion.