On Thursday, August 11, the family of Sharon Mary Rode announced her passing. The news shocked many in the community, though it was especially tragic for those working for Airdrie's Meals on Wheels.
"Our group is shaken and saddened by the sudden passing of such an amazing community member that was so dedicated to seniors and Airdrie Meals on Wheels. Sharon was so full of passion and zest for life. She volunteered with our organization for over 20 years," a social media post on the group's Facebook page stated on August 16.
43-year Airdrie resident Lola Gilchrist who has been involved with Airdrie's Meal on Wheels since 1983, described Rode as friendly, bubbly, caring, but above all reliable.
"To me, that's one of the most important things in a person. Especially when you're delivering meals to individuals that need them and rely on them. For years, we never missed one delivery. [It] didn't matter what happened, the meals went out," she said.
When Gilchrist met Sharon, Sharon was a volunteer driver for the program. But eventually, Gilchrist nominated her to be president of the board, a role Rode would fill for a number of years.
"We'd spend hours at my kitchen table redoing all the bylaws and making a policy and procedure manual, volunteer guidebooks and all sorts of things because the city had grown so much. We just needed to go to the next level with Meals on Wheels," Gilchrist said. "She loved seniors."
Apart from volunteering with Airdrie's Meals on Wheels, Rode was also training as a florist, though her family was the most important thing to her.
"Her family was exceedingly important to her and her friends were very important to her. But she was [also] the school mom. She was a hockey mom and she was very involved in the community of Airdrie."
Gilchrist said that Rode would also make sure that when she was dropping meals off, those who had birthdays would be given something a little extra with their meal.
"She made sure that we always had a flower for everybody's birthdays that were Meals on Wheels clients."
Rode was 59 years old when she passed away. According to an obituary, she is survived by her husband of 34 years, Edward Rode; children, Alexander (Alexandra), Zackery (Jessica) and Kayla; grandchildren, Georgia, and Magnolia; her nephew Brian (Jackie) and children Everly and Cole; and her lake grandkids Oliver and Benjamin.
Gilchrist last saw Sharon recently, as the two had run into each other at a store.
"One day I was in the store not that long ago and I heard this voice, "Oh lady walked right by me.' And of course, we [Sharon and I] both have masks on. We blocked the alleyway there for half an hour catching up."
When asked what Gilchrist thought Sharon would want to see for the future of Airdrie, she is certain of one thing.
"For the Meals on Wheels to carry on."
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