Sharon Johnson-Shannon, FAHRA

By Roland A. Rhynus, CRA, FAHRA

Sharon Johnson, FAHRA, Gold Awardee, was an ardent, dedicated AHRA advocate and heritage member.

It is with AHRA family sadness that we bring you the news of AHRA Past President, Sharon Johnson’s passing on December 24, 2019. Her radiology leadership career was an example of excellence, as her professional and personal team will attest to. No doubt her gift to us was her friendship, leadership, and wonderful example of a life well lived.

What is the measure of our life? Love? Commitment? Dedication? Support? Caring? Passion? Likely these and many more, which may be why we see these words infused into so many of our institutional, and even personal mission statements. These are the core characteristics that we measure by, and Sharon clearly had a full measure of them. Thankfully she shared these with all she connected with over her career and lifetime.

Full of grace, compassion, and even grit, Sharon was an early pathfinder for our AHRA community, serving in many AHRA Western Region and National Board and committee positions. Yes, back then AHRA had both Regional and National Boards, with all-volunteer structures. Involvement typically began at the regional level, serving on committees and contributing where needed, and that’s where Sharon got her AHRA start – in the Western Region and home of her beloved Arizona. When you research the archives, you will see icons of the Arizona desert on many of the documents for regional meetings she lead us to, always teaching and even preaching about the virtues of her home state.

Like all champions, her skills, dedication, commitment and love for the AHRA bubbled to the top and she took her turn leading our association as an esteemed President. This was shortly followed by inclusion into the AHRA Hall of Fame, also known as membership into the small group of Gold Awardees, a wonderful way to honor our best.

Each New Year we get to start fresh and enjoy what I refer to as the “honors” season. It kicks into gear with the Super Bowl, Golden Globes, Grammys, Oscars, Hall of Fame, America’s Got Talent and many more. Human history and cultures past have, through the ages, used many different forms of “memory joggers” to memorialize, honor, and keep fresh the impacts made by pivotal individuals. Museums filled with treasures, songs we enjoy, coins, currency, postage stamps, and wonderful scenery in national parks – all things that help “take us back” in loving memory. So many different ways to remember. I’d bet that some of Sharon’s treasures might well be the petroglyphs, baskets, and blankets from her cherished Southwest history.

In my book, when it comes to remembering #AHRA’s got talent hall of fame, Sharon’s thread will forever be woven into the fabric of AHRA’s history. R.I.P. dear friend and mentor.