Johnnie "John" Sharone

Johnnie John Sharone, 84, of Great Falls, a Navy veteran and former deputy district director of U.S. Customs, died of pancreatic cancer Saturday, Nov. 5, at Peace Hospice. Visitation is 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday at Schnider Funeral Home, and an hour prior to the 7 p.m. vigil service Thursday at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Funeral Liturgy is 11 a.m. Friday at Holy Spirit, with burial in Mount Olivet Cemetery.John died surrounded by family. He was born Oct. 2, 1927, to Italian immigrants Rosario and Filomena (Viola) Sharone, in Allock, Ky. In 1931, the family moved to Albany, N.Y., where he lived until joining the Navy in June 1945. John was so eager to serve his country he enlisted at age 17. He was stationed in Helena as a Navy recruiter when he met his future wife, Ruth McGovern. They were married in Cut Bank, on May 10, 1947. Ruth died May 6, 2011.John's Navy career took the family to many locations, including Vallejo, Calif.; Butte; San Diego, Calif.; and Bremerton, Wash. During his career, he served on the USS Sperry, USS Piedmont and on the admiral's staff. After 21 years, he retired as a master chief petty officer in 1966, and the family settled in Great Falls. He began a second career with the United States Customs Service in May 1967. He advanced through the ranks from customs teller to assistant district director, retiring in January 1988. Even as a young man, John was devoted to his family, quitting school to work in a hotel to help support his mother. Each Christmas Eve, John would prepare the grandchildren's favorite, frybread. His homemade pizza also was a family favorite. John was a member of the Elks Club and a proud member of MENSA. He served as secretary/treasurer for the Boy Scouts. Because of John's incredible memory and love of research, he was always the man to go to for information and advice. Anything you wanted to know, he would have the answer - or he knew where to find it.Survivors include his six children, Steven Sharone of Lewistown, Lita (Ken Palisin) Sharone of Covington, Ky., James (Marcia) Sharone, Michael Sharone and Vickie (Jim) Leigland, all of Great Falls, and Robert Sharone of Boca Raton, Fla.; 13 grandchildren, Adam, Ryan, Hollis, Andrew and Michelle Leigland, Marisa Svengin, Alyse Bell, Jaynee Johns, Megan Young, Mandy Beurer, Jim Sharone, and Luke and Kathleen Palisin; 17 great-grandchildren; a brother, Joseph; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to his wife of nearly 64 years, he was preceded in death by his parents; three sisters, Stella, Rose and Lita; one brother, Patrick; and his granddaughter, Kyla Leigland.Memorials are suggested to Peace Hospice, 1101 26th St. S., Great Falls, MT 59405.