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Sharon Carnahan, wife of Zonar's Don Carnahan, passes away

Sharon provided invaluable assistance to Don in his years in the pupil transportation industry, from editing documents to preparing proposals.

August 4, 2010
2 min to read


RENTON, Wash. — Sharon Joy Carnahan, 70, died on July 26 after a struggle with brain cancer.

Carnahan was married for more than 50 years to Don Carnahan, vice president of business development at Zonar Systems and a former state pupil transportation director.

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As noted in her obituary, Sharon and Don did everything from camping, hunting, snowmobiling and riding motorcycles to extensive traveling around the U.S., Scotland and Yugoslavia together.

Sharon provided invaluable assistance to Don in his years in the pupil transportation industry, from editing documents to preparing proposals.

She worked at Boeing for 35 years before retiring in 1995. Later she worked part time for Zonar Systems before retiring again in 2008.

She is survived by her husband, her three daughters, two sisters, and eight grandchildren. There will be a viewing on Aug. 6 from noon until 6 p.m.

Sharon's funeral will be held Aug. 7 at noon. Both will be at Greenwood Memorial, 350 Monroe Ave, NE, Renton, Wash. A graveside service will immediately follow. A celebration of Sharon's life will be held at 20245 SE 192nd St. in Renton, following interment.

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Condolences in the online guestbook have been left by many members of the school bus industry, including the staff and board of directors of the Pupil Transportation Safety Institute; Peter Manella, executive director, New York Association for Pupil Transportation; Peter Lawrence, director of transportation, Fairport (N.Y.) Central School District; Launi Schmutz, director of transportation, Washington County (Utah) School District; and Alex Robinson, school transportation industry veteran.

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