The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Psalm 90: 9-10

Minister Sharon Elveta Ezell Thrower – a dedicated wife, loving mother and grandmother, beloved teacher, and faithful servant of God – went home to be with the Lord on October 3, 2026. She lived 70 abundantly blessed, joyful, and fulfilling years.

Sharee, as her friends and family called her, was born on February 6, 1956 to Rufus and Fannie Ezell in Columbus, Ohio. As a young girl and adolescent, she possessed both natural beauty and intelligence. She was the first runner up in the Miss Cupidettee Pageant, a city-wide beauty and scholarship program for young Black women. Sharee was fastidiously dedicated to her studies, earning perfect attendance for all three years of high school. She graduated from East High School in 1974 with a diploma of distinction and was a member of the National Honor Society. She received a full ride scholarship to The Ohio State University, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education in 1978.

In 1974, Sharee met Joseph (Joe) McCain Thrower in the sanctuary of her longtime church home, Christ Memorial Baptist Church, when he had begun serving as the accompanying pianist for her choir. She won his heart with her sweet personality, dedication to her Christian faith, and her unmatched cooking. After nearly 4 years of dating, Joe and Sharee married in 1979. They both described their relationship as a union formed by God, and His answer to both of their prayers. God continued to bless their union with forty-eight blissful years of marriage and two wonderful children, Joseph and Sharece. Sharee fiercely and selflessly loved her family beyond measure.

Professionally, Sharee had a gift for teaching and devoted her life to educating others. She began her career as a second-grade teacher at Graham Road Elementary School before moving to Rose Hill Elementary School. There, she initially taught third and fifth grade before eventually finding her home in fourth grade, where she spent most of her teaching career. She often described her fellow teachers and staff at Rose Hill as her second family, fostered under the leadership of her longtime principal, Ted Frissora.

As an educator, Mrs. Thrower had a reputation for being the strictest teacher in the school – and arguably, along with Mr. Thrower, the entire school district. She often joked that both children and their parents would cry when they found out she was their assigned teacher. Yet those same students remember her as one of the most caring, generous, and loving teachers they have ever encountered. She was an old-school educator, who balanced firm discipline with unconditional love. She was beloved and undoubtedly left a lasting impact on the lives of hundreds of students. After 32 years of dedicated service to Reynoldsburg City Schools, Mrs. Thrower retired in 2010.

Sharee’s faith was the center of her life and at the core of who she was as a person. She accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior at a young age, and since then, she has served Him diligently and wholeheartedly. She spent most of her life as an active member of Christ Memorial Baptist Church (CMBC). She sang soprano in the Celestial Choir and the Treble Clefs for many years. She faithfully participated in Bible studies and led church worship. Using her gift of teaching, she was a Sunday School teacher for the junior’s class and led the Youth Ministry. As the Director of Christian Education, she developed the complete biblical studies curriculum for all children, teens, and adults throughout the church.

Sharee always felt the Lord had placed a call on her life. In 1998, she accepted that Divine call to preach His Word and to serve as a Prophetess to those He sent her way. He affirmed His calling through several passages of Scripture, including Jeremiah 1:12: “Then said the Lord unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.” On August 8, 1999, she preached her trial sermon, “Holiness Without Exception!,” at CMBC under the guidance of her then-pastor, Reverend Shedrick L. Fowler. She was eventually certified by the State of Ohio as an ordained minister, and later officiated her daughter Sharece’s wedding to Benjamin Leven in 2017.

Minister Thrower was never afraid to speak what “thus saith the Lord,” preaching sermons of conviction along with love and encouragement. She truly had a gift for ministry, offering prayer, timely words of encouragement and comfort, and thoughtful calls and visits to those God placed in her life. She had an incessant hunger to know more of His Word, vigilantly devoting much of her daily time to personal Bible study and devotions. She seized every opportunity to spread the Gospel, even handing out her own pamphlets to evangelists of other faiths who knocked on her door. She spent nearly the last twenty years of her life as a member of Christian Assembly, where she will be greatly missed by her church family.

Beyond her commitment to the ministry, Sharee deeply loved nature and always admired seeing what she described as “the handiworks of God.” She cherished spending time with her family and filled their lives with joyful memories of family vacations, baking Christmas cookies, gardening, endless car rides around town, and her playful attempts to prank her children. She was a skilled cook, famous for her delicious fried chicken, collard greens, cornbread, sweet potatoes, and numerous desserts. She greatly enjoyed music, and was even a member of a professional singing group – the Michael Frazier Chorale. But it was her husband, Joe, who was her favorite musician and whose piano playing she absolutely adored.

Sharon is preceded in death by her parents, Rufus Ezell and Fannie Ezell; and her brother, Dennis Ezell. She is survived by her husband, Joseph McCain Thrower, Sr; two children, Joseph McCain Thrower II (Iesha Thrower) and Sharece Danielle Thrower (Benjamin Leven); four grandchildren, Thomas Kimble, Kairi Thrower, Ezyiah Thrower, and Aubrey Cherie Leven; two sisters, Willa Walker and Pamela Ezell; two brothers, Kevin Ezell and Timothy Ezell; and a host of nieces, nephews, and other cherished family members and friends who will miss her dearly.

Service Information: Calling hours will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 9am to 10:30am, at Christian Assembly (4099 Karl Road, Columbus, OH 43224). The memorial service will begin at 10:30am, followed by the internment at Glen Rest Memorial Estate (8029 E. Main Street, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068).