Sharon Nearby, and English and Language Arts teacher from Staten Island, New York, succumbed to the coronavirus on April 4, 2020.

With sadness, we recognize the passing of yet another dedicated educator who has succumbed to the coronavirus. Sharon Nearby, a teacher in New York City, passed away on April 4, 2020. She was 52 years old. Her passing came just days away from her 53rd birthday, which would have been on April 8.

Sharon was an English and Language Arts teacher at Barnes Intermediate School (I.S. 24) in Staten Island. She taught eight grade and sixth grade there for 27 years. The beloved educator was described as a spirited supporter of everything going on at IS 24. She was a leader in the Language Arts Department, fostering collaboration and mentoring new teachers. She reached out to students with disabilities or those having a difficult time at home, and was always there to applaud student performances at concerts and plays.

“She was a fantastic teacher,” Sharon’s husband, Jeff Nearby, recalled. “Her kids would come back to her and thank her to the point where we were walking through Disney World one day a few years ago, and one of her students sees her and runs up to her and starts hugging her, thanking her for putting her in the right direction and having her pursue English as her major in college.”  With a career that long, Sharon had taught literally thousands of students. “We couldn’t go anywhere on Staten Island without her running into somebody she knew. Whether it was staff in a doctor’s office or in a store, or anywhere,” Jeff commented.

To read more about Sharon, view this online article on silive.com.