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Sharmel Rutherford was born on July 14th, 1950, in St. Louis, MO to Father Dewey Thompson Sr and Mother Gussie McCline Thompson. Sharmel committed her life to Christ at an early age. She was baptized at her family church Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis, MO. She then recommitted her life in a new city, Dallas, TX. Sharmel loved going to church so much & embraced the joy of having a relationship with God. After finishing High School in St. Louis, Sharmel moved to Oakland, CA with her brother (Michael Thompson) to attend nursing school. She graduated with a degree in nursing from Kaiser Permanente School of Nursing in California. On January 4th, 1993, Sharmel married her beloved husband Joseph Tigner Jr in Sacramento, CA. After retiring from Kaiser Hospital with over 50 years of service, her husband and herself relocated to Texas to be around family. Sharmel enjoyed working and helping people to survive their illnesses over her lifetime & career. She was later diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer before leaving California. She then found herself on the receiving end of the good & important work that she too once used to do. After a long battle with cancer, Sharmel left this earthly life to be with her savior Jesus Christ on May 25th, 2025, at the age of 74. Sharmel is proceeded in death by her parents Father Dewey Thompson Sr, Mother Gussie McCline Thompson, and Brother Dewey Thompson Jr. She is survived by her Husband Joseph Tigner Jr of Little Elm, TX. Son Aaron Bolling of Los Angeles, CA. Stepdaughters Kimberly Tigner & Rachel Tigner of Kansas City, MO and Stepson JuMaane A Ford of Oakland, CA. Granddaughters Cyna Bolling and Jordan McGhee. Grandsons William McGhee, Sebastian Bolling, Hector Valez, Joseph Tigner, and Augustus Tigner. Great Grandson Chase Calloway. Brothers Michael (Brenda) Thompson of Dallas, TX, and Percy Thompson of Dallas, TX. Sister Carol Stegall of Milwaukee, WI. Along with several nieces, great nieces, nephews, great nephews, cousins and friends A memorial service for Sharmel will be held at the Slay Memorial Funeral Center Chapel of Aubrey, TX at 1:30pm, Saturday, May the 31st. Online condolences may be shared at www.slaymemorialfuneralhome.com Arrangements are under the direction of Terri Slay and Slay Memorial Funeral Center.

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Sharmel Rutherford

July 14, 1950 - May 25, 2025