Gulf Shores, Alabama - Sharon Roling, 80 went to be with our Heavenly Father on May 4th, 2026, in Gulf Shores, Alabama, after living a life filled with love, laughter, and the devotion of family and friends.

Sharon was born in Oelwein, Iowa, to Lyle and Leona Haught. After graduating from high school, she married Jon Hatch, and together they made their home in Clinton, Iowa. They were blessed with two children, Jim and Annette.

Throughout her life, Sharon worked in the restaurant and hospitality industry, where she became a familiar and beloved face to so many. No matter where she worked, everyone remembers the same thing: her beautiful, full-faced smile and the genuine warmth she shared with everyone who walked through the door.

Life took an unexpected and wonderful turn when Sharon met the man who would change her life forever, Norm Roling. Their romance began with what could best be described as a "semi-quasi blind date," arranged by her sister, Cindy, and Cindy's then-boyfriend, Butch. The meeting was under the simple pretense of going out for a couple of beers. No one could have imagined how that one semi-quasi date would forever change and make a difference in the lives of so many. Two single-parent families became one officially on June 9th, 1985.

Sharon's faith was the foundation of her life, and she faithfully shared it through her service at Lyons Methodist Church in Clinton, Iowa. She was an active and devoted member for many years, generously giving her time, talents, and heart in countless ways. Her church family became an extension of her own, and the friendships she built there were among her most treasured blessings. Even after moving to Gulf Shores a few years ago, Sharon's connection to her beloved church never faded.

Sharon loved to bake. For Sharon, baking was far more than a hobby, it was her love language. Every loaf of lemon or zucchini bread, batch of cookies, or homemade dessert was her way of saying, "I'm thinking of you," "I love you," "Thank you," "Congratulations," or "I'm sorry you're going through a difficult time." She baked to celebrate life's happiest moments and to comfort those walking through its hardest ones. Her baked goods found their way into the hands of family, friends, neighbors, pharmacists, nurses, doctors, and countless others. A baked good from Sharon was a heartfelt thank-you, a gesture of appreciation, a quiet prayer, or a reminder that someone cared.

Sharon is survived by her three children, Annette Snyder of Gulf Shores, Alabama, Jim (Heather) Hatch of Winterset, Iowa, and Joe (Kerry) Roling of Ontonagon, Michigan; seven grandchildren, Sydney, Cade, Evan, Michaela, Elijah, Honor, and Isolde; two great grandchildren, Lennon and August; sister, Lynn (Dean Heins) of Jesup, Iowa; brother-in-law, Butch Parker of Largo, Florida and lifetime friend, Carolyn McDanel.

Though our hearts are heavy with her passing, we find comfort in knowing she has been welcomed into the arms of her Savior. Her love, her laughter, and that unforgettable smile will live on in the hearts of her family and countless friends forever.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, July 18th, 2026, at Lions Trinity United Methodist Church, Clinton, Iowa. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. A private burial will be held at St. Peters Cemetery, Sabula Iowa. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorials be made in Sharon's honor to the family. Contributions will be used to place a memorial bench or fountain at Lyons Trinity United Methodist Church. May it offer a place of peace, comfort, and quiet reflection for all who visit, just as Sharon's life brought comfort and love to so many.