DIANE SHARITS

CARTHAGE-A visitation will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., with a Celebration of Life at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Fellowship Hall at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church for Diane Sharits, 65, Carthage, who died Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015, at her home after a year and a half battle with ALS.

The church is located at 8975 County Lane 170 in Carthage.

Memorial contributions may be made to Medicine Hat, Inc. or the Joplin Humane Society.

Survivors include her husband, Mike, Carthage; two sons, Ryan Long, Kansas City, Mo. and Brady Long and wife Haden, Springfield; two daughters, Devon Sharits, Toronto, Ontario, Canada and Taylor Engel and husband Joe, Springfield; four granddaughters, Edyn Jayne Rivas, Elliot Anderson Long, Adalyn Diane Long andVirginia Grace Engel, all of Springfield and one brother, Jay Parrack, Lamar.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

Mrs. Sharits was born Dc. 31, 1949, in Springfield, to Norman Johnny and Betty Virginia (Neese) Parrack. She was a 1967 graduate of Lamar High School and a 2006 graduate of Missouri Southern State University. She worked at the Lamar Democrat early in her career and owned a clothing store, Sunshine Fashions, in the late 70's. She moved to Carthage in the early 80's and her love and service to the City of Carthage began shortly thereafter. She earned her nickname of Streetlady through her service as Main Street Carthage director, where she was always seen on the street of the Carthage square. She served on the Carthage City Council, Powers Museum Board and numerous other committees and organizations. She loved antiquing, animals, auctions, yard sales, MapleLeaf, conversations with friends and especially loved spending time with her family.

She married Mike Sharits on Feb. 14, 1989, in Joplin.