Cloudy, 50° F
Sharma was born Aug. 19, 1948 in Powell, Wyoming. She was the youngest of three children born to Caroll and Vida (Martin) Henrichs.
After a few years in the Powell Flat, the family moved to an acreage in Napa, Idaho. There she found her love of all animals, especially horses. The family then moved to Middleton, Idaho where her dad started a dairy farm. After spending her teen years milking 40 head of cows, using a primitive milking machine, Sharma found an animal she wasn’t fond of.
After high school, Sharma went to beauty college and learned how to cut hair. She spent some time living in Oregon and California before moving back to Cody, Wyoming. After moving back to Cody, she met and married Wayne Petrie. She became an instant mom to her stepson, Michael Petrie, and then she and Wayne had two children together, Justin and Shane Petrie. When the boys were in grade school, they befriended Chad Bradish, who instantly became another one of Sharma’s children. In 1989, Sharma and Wayne divorced. Soon after her divorce she met Fred Gilcrist. The two were married on Sept. 29, 1990, combining the two families into one.
After 37 years, Sharma retired in 2013 from the Powell Valley Hospital where she had spent the last 23 years as a respiratory therapist. She enjoyed fishing, camping, hunting, planting flowers in the spring and spending time with her family.
In November of 2021 Sharma was diagnosed with cancer. The caring staff at the Big Horn Basin Cancer Center in Cody helped her battle her disease. She lost her battle when she passed away, Dec. 12, 2023, in the home she loved.
She is survived by her husband, Fred; children Jody Gilcrist of Omaha, Nebraska, Chuck (Linda) Gilcrist of Billings, Montana, Justin (Leatha) Petrie of Elko, Nevada, Shane (Lauren) Petrie of Powell and Chad (Sharon) Bradish of Dearing, Georgia; stepson Michael Petrie of Powell; 12 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, many brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews and close friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Gary and sister Sandra.
A Celebration of Life will be held in the spring of 2024; details will be announced later.
