Sharon Elizabeth Erdkamp Ahmad, a loving mother and a longtime member of the US Foreign Service, died at age 90 on February 18th, in Carlsbad, Calif.

Sharon was born on December 20, 1933 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Omaha, Neb., daughter of Walter E. Erdkamp and Lasca G. Arthur, and the youngest of two children. She excelled in school from a young age, and in 1937 she entered Franklin Grade School Kindergarten after testing at the University of Omaha Psychology Department for permission to enter before age 5. Later, she graduated with honors from North High School in 1951 and went on to graduate from the University of Omaha with majors in Political Science and Economics (B.A., 1955). She attended Northwestern University in Chicago, where she earned her Master's degree from the School of Economics (M.A., 1956).

Following her studies, she entered the Foreign Service of the US Department of State in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, serving in a variety of roles in Washington, DC and in overseas posts during her more than 60-year career. During her tenure, she was economic officer in Rome (1958-1960), and consular officer in Curacao (1960-1962). In the Department she was international economist in the Office of Canadian Affairs in the Bureau of European Affairs (1963-1966). From 1966-1970 she was economic officer in Islamabad. Returning to the US she served as Director of the Office of International Trade in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs (1975-1978) and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (1978-1981). She was a member of the Executive Seminar in National and International Affairs at the Foreign Service Institute (1981-1982). In 1982 she was nominated by then-President Ronald Regan as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of The Gambia. She did not serve this appointment and instead chose to remain in Washington, holding various positions in the Department. After a brief retirement in 1986, she returned part time working for the Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research and the office of Freedom of Information through February, 2020.

Sharon spent most of her professional career as a resident of Washington, DC, where she raised her children, and enjoyed the arts, cultural and historical institutions the city had to offer. She loved the theater and made annual trips to New York to see Broadway plays, musicals and operas. She regularly visited and kept close ties with her extended family and longtime friends across California, Washington State, Michigan and New York. She enjoyed landscaping and tending to her garden, reading the daily New York Times and Washington Post newspapers cover to cover in her recliner, keeping up with current and political events across all news channels, and watching C-SPAN any hour of the day or night. She was generous with her means and made regular donations to various charities including Goodwill of DC, Bread for the City, and the Salvation Army. She was a lover of opera and classical music, and a charitable supporter of WETA, Washington, DC's public TV and Radio Station.

Sharon was humble about her many accomplishments and practical and wise when discussing politics, no matter which administration she was serving. She was a loving mother and aunt, trusted friend and colleague, and kind neighbor. She had a great sense of humor and was unflappable in any situation. Sharon rolled with whatever punches life gave her. After suffering a stroke in 2020 she remained in DC until 2023 when she relocated to Sunrise Senior Living in Carlsbad, Calif. to be closer to family. She had cherished many wonderful holidays and trips to California over the decades visiting her sister's family in San Juan Bautista and Gilroy, her parents whom she relocated to Gilroy from Nebraska and her eldest daughter who had moved to San Diego. California became the anchor of a second home for her and her chosen final resting place.

Sharon was preceded in death by her parents Walter E. Erdkamp and Lasca G. Arthur, sister Joyce Elane Erdkamp (John Culligan), and husband Syed Sajjad Ahmad. She is survived by her daughters Marya Ahmad (John Bibb) and Sameena Ahmad (Ryan Tozzi); 7 nieces and nephews and over 21 grand and great-grand nieces and nephews. She will be laid to rest in Gavilan Hills Memorial Park, next to her family's cemetery in Gilroy, Calif. A service and celebration of her life will be hosted by her family on March 9, at Habing Funeral Home, in Gilroy. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: https://breadforthecity.org/