Obituary for ​Sharon Ann Kytola

Age 76, of Champlin, MN, passed away surrounded by family on November 9, 2021, from a mysterious neurological disorder. Sharon was born on April 30, 1945, in Tennessee to Laurie and Mabel Kytola. Shortly after her birth, Laurie left the Airforce and they moved to Nye, Wisconsin where Sharon grew up helping with the family store and gas station and cleaning the cabins the family owned around Pine Lake.

Although Sharon worked often and for many years as a Medical Insurance Claims Reviewer, she was really focused on raising her five children in their Brooklyn Park, MN home. Her home was the hub for many of her children’s friends and the source of many safe shenanigans and great memories. She was an expert at making a dollar stretch to make ends meet and finding the best deals at Christmas to pile under the tree. She loved to travel, making trips to Nascar races with her youngest son Michael; and spent a year exploring California with Kevin’s family.

After the kids grew up, Sharon moved to rural Garrison, MN, to a home that her son Kevin built for her. It became known as “Camp Kytola” as Michelle’s and Chris’s families often boondocked with their campers. Later she lived for many years with Kevin’s family in Shakopee, MN where she spent many hours enjoying the company of her grandchildren, Keller and Kaelan. She worked part time at Cub and made many friends. In retirement she loved to spend time with her family, have lunch with friends, and took up quilting as her main hobby. Sharon also enjoyed gardening, reading and cooking up anything her kids wanted to eat. Her sense of humor, quick smile, and love will be missed.

Sharon is survived by her children, Michelle Hudlow and husband Jon, Chris Piehowski and husband Joe, Kevin Ophoven and wife Lisa, and Michael Ophoven; also daughter in law Jenny Klein; grandchildren Steven Hudlow, Melissa Gonzalez, Harrison Piehowski, Claire Piehowski, Adara Murden, Darian O’Konek-Ophoven, Keller Ophoven, Kaelan Ophoven and Ari Klein. Preceded by parents Laurie and Mabel Kytola, her son Joseph Ophoven, and her brother Larry Kytola.

A funeral service will be held on Monday, November 15, 2021 at 3PM at Evans-Nordby Funeral Home, 6000 Brooklyn Blvd. Brooklyn Center. Visitation 2 hours prior to service. She will be interred with her son Joe at Oak Grove Cemetery in East Farmington Wisconsin.