Sharon K. Gilbeck

Sharon Kay Gilbeck, 81, of Westby, passed away at Norseland Nursing Home in Westby on July 23, 2026. She was born to Maurice and Gertrude (Schultz) Midtlien on June 15, 1945.

She attended Smith School, a one-room school, for all of grade school. She attended and graduated from Westby High School. While in high school, she played clarinet and was proud that she was 1st chair often.

On August 17, 1963, she married Richard (Dick) Gilbeck at Our Savior's Lutheran Church. They had to drive a horse and buggy to the other end of town to get their car.

Ten days after getting married to Dick, he went to basic training and then was deployed to Korea, while she attended secretarial school. When Dick came back, she went with him to Kentucky and then to Alaska while Dick was in the service. In Alaska she was the post commander's secretary.

When Dick got out of the service, they moved to Madison where she worked as a medical transcriptionist for the hospital. After five years, she and Dick bought Sharon's home farm and moved back to Westby. She worked at Westby Pharmacy for 19 years, Vernon Memorial Hospital for three years and WCCU-Westby for 17 years until she retired.

Sharon loved to travel. She and Dick traveled with friends out west where they would stop and see her sister and family. They also traveled south many times, and her biggest trip was to Australia with her sister to visit her nephew and family. She loved becoming part of the family of God when she accepted Jesus as her Savior. The next best thing was becoming a grandma to Nichole. They were inseparable.

She has been active in her church by singing in the choir, playing in the hand bell choir, and most of all teaching Sunday school. At one point in time, she taught over 20 children who were 1-3 years of age with one or two helpers.

Sharon had a heart for helping people and giving of herself. She sent birthday cards to family and friends. Her calendar had a name on almost every day. She was also making hotdishes for people who lost loved ones.

She is survived by her husband Richard, her children Barry (Jennifer) Gilbeck and Gina (Matthew) Dahl, her granddaughter Nichole (Wyatt) Lavy, and great grandson Andrew Lavy, brothers-in-law Wayne Gilbeck and Charlie Gilbeck, and sister-in-law Cheri (Gilbeck) Kenyon. She is also survived by many cousins.

Sharon was preceded in death by her parents Maurice and Gertrude (Schultz) Midtlien, sister Ardyce Ostreum, niece Sheri Jenson, brother-in-law Cary Gilbeck, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. July 31, 2026, at Bethlehem Baptist Church. Pastor Noah Ketchum will officiate with burial at Westby Coon Prairie cemetery. A visitation will be held on Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Seland Funeral Home in Coon Valley and at the church on Friday from 10:30 a.m. until service time. Condolences may be given at selandsfuneralhome.com. Memorials may be directed to the Door of Hope.