Sharlene Denholm

Sharlene Faye Denholm, 81, of Iowa Falls, passed away on March 14, 2026, at MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center.

Born on October 7, 1944, in Austinville, Iowa, to Richard and Marian Harken, Sharlene attended Ackley-Geneva High School and graduated from Parkersburg High School in 1962, where she was honored as homecoming queen. In 1969, she married Erico Denholm, and together they raised three children. She built a varied and fulfilling career, serving as an office manager in a doctor’s office, owning and operating Denholm Jewelry and Hallmark stores for twenty years, working as a sales representative for ENESCO, and later as an administrative assistant for housing at Ellsworth Community College.

Sharlene was deeply involved in her community, devoting many hours to Bethany Lutheran Church, the Christian Women United Thrift Store, and quilting groups. She found joy in sewing, reading, crossword puzzles, baking, and working on puzzles, and she was well known for sharing her homemade treats with family and friends.

She is survived by her husband, Erico Denholm; her daughter, Sharon (Eric) Tullio of Charleston, South Carolina; her sons, James Denholm and Jack (Anne) Denholm, both of Cedar Falls, Iowa; and six grandchildren. She is also survived by two brothers, Jim Harken of Waterloo and Dick (Verlene) Harken of Ackley. She was preceded in death by her parents and daughter-in-law Amy Denholm.