Sharon Kay Jackson

Sharon Kay McAninch Jackson, 77, rode on to eternity on May 4, 2025, under the loving care of Angels Hospice in Cottonwood, Arizona. By her side were her children.

She is survived by five children: Jeffery Jackson, Kimberly Jackson Kauffman, Nikki Jackson, Darlann Hampton, and Darrel Jackson; as well as her five beloved grandchildren: Liz, Kathryn, Morgan, Karlee, and Saxony.

She was preceded in death by her husband Patrick Jackson, her parents Lewis and Louise McAninch, and her grandparents Lawrence and Maggie Melton.

Born in Wickenburg, Arizona, in 1948, Sharon made her final home in Cottonwood, where she lived with her devoted riding partner, Edward Lee.

Sharon lived life on her own terms. From her father, she learned to embrace life without regrets. Her passion for the open road—its highways, byways, and mountain curves—was a love she passed down to her children. Beyond her motorcycle, Sharon also loved vintage clothes, shoes, handbags, antiques, travel, music, dancing, vintage cars, her many friends, and most of all her family. Her favorite saying was: “It’s not about the number of breaths you take, it’s about the moments that take your breath away.”

From your children: Ride on, Mom. Ride that long, never-ending, winding road where your hair whips free in the wind. We’ll see you at every bend and every rise. Be fast, be free—no fuel could ever outpower your spirit. We feel so blessed and lucky that God chose you to be our mom. Thank you for every lesson, every laugh, every hug, and every moment. You’ll ride with us always—literally, on the open road we love as much as you did, and figuratively, in  our hearts forever.

Leather, steel, and gas were the textures of your life, but your true legacy is the way you lived—boldly, fully, and without fear. We will honor you, and we will make you proud, always remembering your words: “Today is the most important day of your life.”

We love you, Mom. We miss you. Ride free.

An open house in honor of Sharon’s life will be hosted by her children, Jeff, Kim and Nikki, at her cottage in Old Town Cottonwood, Raven House, from 4-8pm on Saturday, October 4, 2025