In Loving Memory of

Bill "the cat guy" Sharon 

1945 - 2018

This page has information about Bill's Cats and also about Bill's Memorial Garden. 

 

By now you may have already learned but, it is with great sadness and sorrow to let you know that Bill "The Cat Guy" Sharon passed away Monday evening, 8/6/2018 in the Pottstown Hospital.  You can read his obituary found on the Catagnus Funeral Homes website (www.catagnusfuneralhomes.com) or in The Pottstown Mercury to understand that Pottstown has lost a truly, outstanding pillar of the community.  Cat NAPS of Pottstown, Inc. has also suffered a tremendous loss.  

Word spread quickly amongst the Board members late Monday morning that Bill had taken ill and was in the Pottstown ICU.  We had to make the dreaded phone calls to one another that night.  Emails and texts keep coming from us and to us as we console each other and mourn the loss of one of our own. 

Bill contributed so much to the Cat NAPS organization. Just to name a few, he fostered numerous cats and kittens, even adopted a few from us.  He participated in many Trap, Neuter, Release (TNR) projects and, I believe his personal goal was to get every stray cat in Pottstown spayed or neutered.  He rescued kittens that some of you may have adopted over the years.  He organized and helped at our fundraising events.   He set up our tent, table, and chairs for the outdoor fundraisers.  Sold soft pretzels with us at Boscov's.  And, oh, his breads!  Those breads would sell out quickly. "They freeze well too!", he would say. People were sorely disappointed if they got to our table too late and missed out on buying one of his tasty breads. Board member Catya "Cat" Harrold stated in a Board member email yesterday,  "Very sad to think I won't see Bill on the streets of Pottstown again, or decorate a tree with him, or eat his banana bread."  Our bake sales won't be the same again without Bill's breads.
 
Compassionate.  Of many words used to describe Bill "The Cat Guy', this is one of the best. If all the cats that he not only owned, but rescued, helped, and saved could only speak, nothing but good things would be said. They are all purring loudly and strong for him this week!  No doubt that not only his cats were at The Rainbow Bridge to walk across with him, but all kinds of animals were there to greet him for they knew what a compassionate man he was toward them all. We can only try to continue Bill's legacy, but no one will quite be able to fill his shoes or as the animals would say, his paws.  Sad times indeed for all that knew or knew of Bill.  Board member David Fritz stated in one of our emails yesterday, "Even the cats this morning seem very sad."     
 
I will end this Cat NAPS tribute of sorts by asking you to mark Saturday, September 15th on your calendars and attend the Pottstown Pet Fair.  Bill co-founded this fair 8 years ago and it has grown into perhaps the largest free pet fair in the U.S.  This year the pet fair will be held in his honor and your attendance will assist in making it the biggest and best fair to date!  Bill, we know you will be looking down on Memorial Park that Saturday with that big, beautiful grin of yours! We won't let you down!  
 
Rest in peace Bill "The Cat Guy", rest in peace.....
Bill, Linda, and myself at the Cat NAPS booth during the 2016 Pottstown Home Show.
Coincidently, Bill's breads had already sold out when this picture was taken!  
 
Beth Scherer, Secretary
Cat NAPS of Pottstown, Inc.

Hi, my name is Caitlin Mercer and I had the honor of being friends with Bill through cat rescue work with Cat NAPS of Pottstown, playing music for his annual Pottstown Pet Fair and most recently working on Pottstown EcoFest together. Bill had a huge heart and was a great friend to all of us and to the animals of Pottstown. He was always a wonderful smiling face to run into in town and it seemed he could help with everything and knew everyone. It is a shock and a huge loss to not have him physically with us anymore. I find it comforting to picture him surrounded by all his animal friends on the other side of the rainbow bridge he always spoke of. All of us at EcoFest wish peace and love to his family and all of his friends.

When Bill passed away, he left behind his current "feline family" in his house. Bill's family worked with Cat NAPS of Pottstown to get all of his kitties checked at the vet and up-dated on anything they needed so that they were ready for new loving homes. 

 

 

Here are their names and pictures. A few of the pictures are old images taken by Bill. 

 

Big Guy - Adopted! Thank you!

Big Guy lived for 3 years with his wonderful new family but sadly he passed away in July 2021.

Big Guy was Bill's favorite kitty and now they are together again.

 

 

 

~  ~  ~

Rita - Adopted! Thank you!

5yr old female calico

 

 

Bill wrote this about her:

 

 

~  ~  ~ 

Rosie - Adopted! Thank you!

Here is a photo of her in her lovely new home! 

  

 

 

~  ~  ~ 

 Spirit - Adopted!

8yr old male long haired grey

    

 

 

 

~  ~  ~ 

BondJamesBond 007 - Adopted!! Thank you!

"Double-O Seven" is a total lap-cat. Thank you to his new family for giving him a loving home!

 

 

 

~  ~  ~

Noel -  (special needs), currently comfortable in a long-term foster home.

7yr old female dilute calico

 

 

~  ~  ~

Magic - Long-term foster home with Bill's other cat, Spirit.

Magic lived for 3 years with her pal Spirit but she passed away in October 2021.

Now she is with Bill again and Big Guy.

 

 

 

~  ~  ~ 

 

Bill's Memorial Garden

Pottstown Pet Fair, Cat NAPS of Pottstown and Pottstown EcoFest have all donated to dedicate a tree, 2 benches, plaques and a garden in Bill's honor in Pottstown Memorial Park. Pottstown Parks & Recreation came up with a beautiful design (see below).

Pottstown EcoFest donated a Sweetbay Magnolia Tree from Kirkpatrick's Nursery that was planted in October 2018.

You can view the videos of the tree planting on our facebook here and here

 

 

The walkway was paved and the benches were installed in time for the 2021 Pet Fair.  

Bill's Priest blessed the garden during the 2021 Pet Fair. We know how much that would mean to Bill.

Thank you to everyone who made this possible.

Here is the beautiful design by Pottstown Parks & Recreation: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~  ~  ~ 

 

This poster is available through Cat NAPS of Pottstown and Pottstown EcoFest. Bill kept a large collection of photos of all the cats he rescued and fostered so we made a poster of his photos for the 2018 Pet Fair. We have plenty left if anyone would still like one.

 

 

 

~  ~  ~