Sharon Kaplon

Sharon M. Kaplon, DNP, age 49 of the Town of Hill, formerly of Chilton, died on Monday, October 20, 2025 at Aspirus Wausau Hospital in Wausau.

She was born March 3, 1976 in Chilton, daughter of William & Lillian (Juckem) Rach. She was raised in Kiel until she was 11 years old, at which time her family moved to Illinois. During her formative years, Sharon diligently worked at the family owned Dairy Queen until she graduated from High School. Initially, she graduated from Beauty and Cosmetology School and worked within the industry for a short while.

She married Stephen Kaplon on June 26, 1999 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Westmont, Illinois. After having children, Sharon went back to school to pursue a degree in nursing and eventually earned her Doctorate to become a Nurse Practitioner from UW-Oshkosh.

With her caring nature, Sharon worked as a Nurse Practitioner for Ascension in Chilton where the individuals who she tended to medically became not just patients, but friends. She made sure that they were all cared for in mind, body, and soul and left each of them with a hug as they left their appointments. Within the past year, Sharon moved to the Medford area where she continued to care for people as a Nurse Practitioner at Aspirus’s Urgent Care Clinic.

As her children went through school, Sharon enjoyed watching their sports activities and spending time with friends and community members. Memorable family trips throughout Sharon’s lifetime included vacations to Hawaii, Florida, and New Orleans. In her recent free time, Sharon enjoyed the simple joy of crafting, sewing, and working with stained glass. She also appreciated the quietude of walks through the woods, kayaking, mushroom foraging, fishing, snowshoeing, working on puzzles, or tending to the vegetables in her garden.

Above all else, she treasured moments spent with her family, especially with her children and her grandchild.

Survivors include her husband: Stephen; her children: Cassandra (Nickolaus Puster) Puster-Kaplon, Nathan Kaplon and his fiancée Kayla Belany; her grandchild: Charlie Puster with a granddaughter arriving later this year; her parents: William & Lillian Rach; her brother: Brian (Julie) Rach; and her sisters-in-law: Julie Crews & Alice Kaplon-Nally. She is further survived by nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents: Leonard & Elsie Juckem, and La Vern & Marion Rach; her step-grandmother Carol Juckem, and her beloved dogs Wrigley and Ivy, who Sharon loved to snuggle with.