Sharon Ann Fromma

November 3, 1947 - May 30, 2022

Sharon (Barber) Fromma passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loving family, on May 30, 2022 at the age of 74 after a long illness. Daughter of the late Adam and Anna Mae (Farrell) Barber, Sharon was born in Albany on Nov. 3, 1947 with a congenital heart condition known as Tetralogy of Fallot (blue baby), a rare condition caused by a combination of four heart defects. The prognosis was dire and her parents were referred to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore by the family physician who had heard of an experimental surgery being performed by doctors. At the age of 13 months, she had her first surgery by pioneering pediatric heart surgeon, Dr. Alfred Blalock. Two more surgeries followed in 1956 and 1968, both also performed at Johns Hopkins. She was raised in Albany’s South End and graduated from Philip Schuyler High School in 1965. Despite her heart condition, she wanted nothing more than to be married and raise a family. She married her childhood sweetheart, the late Robert Fromma Jr., in 1967. Her first child, a son, was born a year later. In 1979, her family relocated to Nassau in Rensselaer County. All the years surrounded by medical care gave her a great love of medicine and desire to help others. Within a week of the move, she sought out membership in the Nassau Fire Department and Nassau Ambulance Company. While schooling restricted students with health issues from becoming nurses or paramedics, she was able to become an EMT and served her community for many years, eventually becoming captain of the Nassau Fire Department Ambulance. During her tenure she was instrumental in establishing a tax district in Nassau for the ambulance, eliminating the need for door-to-door collections. Sharon also worked for many years as a food service aide at Columbia High School. The position allowed her to always be home with her children after school, during the summer and on holidays. She was able to see her three children and two of her local grandchildren daily in the cafeteria and watched them go on to graduate from the school. She always loved being with her children, and always wanted them close. She loved being around teens, and always opened her home to her childrens’ friends. Sharon enjoyed camping and boating on the Great Sacandaga for many years. She had a great love of travel, enjoyed dining out, trying adventurous foods and finding new restaurants. She embraced her Irish roots, loving all things Irish. She attended many Irish festivals and musical events, and had a deep passion for Irish dancing and bagpipes. Her greatest love of all was her family. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of almost 50 years, Robert Fromma Jr. She is survived by her children, Robert (Laura) Fromma III, Sandra (Richard) Fromma and Adam (Shannon) Fromma. She leaves behind six treasured grandchildren, Bradley Fromma and his partner, Fran Baggetta, Rachel Fromma, Jessica Fetterman, Emily Fetterman, Madison Fromma and Marek Fromma. She was blessed with a precious great-granddaughter, Lilah Monet Fetterman and is also survived by her only sibling, her beloved sister, Siri Narayan (Elaine) Fuda of Buffalo and sister-in-law, Patricia (Garry) Conway, as well as three nieces. Sharon also leaves behind many dear friends, and just recently lost one of her best friends, Carole Wheland, who passed away in mid-May. She also spent the last few years living in the Hearthstone Village community in Latham where she served as treasurer of the social committee and left behind many friends. Sharon passed away peacefully and surrounded by those who loved her after a long illness that she was told would take her from this life decades sooner. Her family is so grateful for all of the extra time she had and the wonderful doctors who made sure she lived a long, full and active life. She was there for every special family occasion, including weddings, births, graduations and the 2002 Winter Paralympic Games in Salt Lake City where her son Adam participated in the alpine ski racing events. She attended every celebratory dinner, dance recital, school play, football game, ski race and concert she could. She will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend, cat lover and caring member of the community. In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to the Shriners Hospitals for Children (lovetotherescue.org), 516 Carew St., Springfield, Mass 01104. The family would also like to extend our sincere gratitude to St. Peter’s Hospital ICU/CCU staff who took tremendous care of Sharon in her final days. Relatives and friends are invited to visit with Sharon’s family Thursday, June 2, 2022 in the McVeigh Funeral Home, 208 N. Allen Street, Albany, NY 12206 from 4:00pm to 7:00 pm. Pleased only enter the funeral home from the rear parking lot doorway. Funeral Services will be Friday, June 3, 2022 at Our Lady of Assumption Church, 498 Watervliet Shaker Road, Latham, NY 12110 at 11:00 am where her Funeral Mass will be celebrated by Rev. Geoffrey Burke. The Rite of committal will immediately follow the Mass in Our Lady Help of Christians Cemetery, Glenmont, NY.