Sharon Beadnell

The Early Years

Sharon’s mother was from Bangor and her father from Veazie. Because her father served in the Air Force, the family lived in many different places during her childhood, and Sharon was born at Hamilton Air Force Base near San Francisco, California. As an Air Force brat, she spent her early years in Arizona, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and Germany, where the family lived for three years. Beginning in 1961, Sharon lived on Outer Essex Street in Bangor.

They had a farm with cows, pigs, chickens, and horses, and her parents raised black Labrador retrievers. They also raised strawberries, raspberries, and maple syrup, as well as eggs.

They sold their produce—including fruits, eggs, maple syrup, and meat—at a farm stand located in front of the farm. Sharon was responsible for caring for her younger brother and sister, running the farm stand, and helping with the animals. The farm raised cows and pigs for meat, chickens for eggs, and horses for recreation. They owned two American Quarter Horses, which produced at least four foals that were later sold.

The family also had a camp on Pushaw Lake, where they spent every summer. Although they stayed at the camp, they returned home —just two miles away— daily to care for the animals and tend to the farm.

Sharon graduated from Bangor High School and went on to attend Beals College, where she earned a degree in accounting. In 1972, she married her husband, Herb, who immediately enlisted in the Marine Corps. Following boot camp, Herb attended training in Quantico, Virginia, where the couple welcomed their first daughter, Jessi.

In January 1973, Herb was assigned to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, where the family lived until 1974, when he was deployed to Okinawa.

At the time, Sharon was pregnant with their son, Jamie, and returned to the family farm in Maine to await his birth. Jamie was born in 1975, but Herb did not meet his son until he returned from Okinawa nine months later. After Herb’s return, the family moved back to Camp Lejeune. There, they welcomed their third child, daughter Jenny, who was born in 1978.

Herb left the Marine Corps in 1980, and the family moved to Framingham, Massachusetts, where he began a career in the computer industry. In 1982, they relocated to Millinocket, where Herb worked at the mill. Millinocket was a wonderful place to raise their children, and the family spent 13 years there.

When the Millinocket mill began to decline, they moved to Jay, where Herb worked at the Otis mill. They lived there for five years before that mill also experienced a downturn. The family then moved to Saco, where Herb worked at a mill in Scarborough as well as in several other positions. They remained in the area for 16 years.

During that time, Sharon built a career in accounting, working for Maine Surgical Care, Mercy, and MaineHealth. In 2016, Herb and Sharon retired and returned to Pushaw Lake, where they built their new home

The Maine Troop Greeters

How did you hear about the Troop Greeters?

While living in Millinocket, Sharon first learned about the Troop Greeters through a news story. Given her family’s strong military ties—her father and husband both served—she was immediately interested in the organization.

In 2017, she came across an online article about the Troop Greeters, contacted Joe-George, and began volunteering to greet arriving troops. She was instantly hooked and soon dedicated much of her time to welcoming service members and supporting the organization’s mission.

Being a Maine Troop Greeter

Sharon soon met Cathy C., who encouraged her to join the board of directors as Chair of the Marketing and Fundraising Committee. After a year of service, she was elected Vice President. When Allison relocated, Sharon stepped into the role of Acting Chair and was subsequently elected Chair of the Board. She served in that position throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the pandemic, she transitioned to the role of Treasurer, a position she continues to hold today while remaining an active member of the board.

In addition to her board service, Sharon dedicates much of her time to volunteering with the Maine Troop Greeters. She assists with parking operations at waterfront concerts and other events that raise funds for the organization. She also represents the Troop Greeters at Wreaths Across America events and volunteers at numerous other fundraising activities throughout the year

Memories and Stories

Each troop arrives with a different perspective. She wants to give these Troops the greeting they did not receive during the Vietnam War.

One interesting experience was meeting an Iranian interpreter in about 2018, who told her about her experiences leaving Iran and receiving her training as an interpreter embedded with military units there.

A couple of years ago, Sharon and her husband were at the San Diego zoo. At that time, they had a bumper sticker on the car that said “Maine Troop Greeters.” When they returned to the car, there was a beautiful note from a service member saying how much she appreciated our troop’s greetings.

When troop flights arrive, she usually stays in the Troop Greeter room to talk with the troops who enter and help them in any way she can. Sharon’s main goal is to make our troops feel welcome and appreciated!