The Skaryds started playing music in 1992. John plays the Webster chromatic dulcimer seen here. They also have several other instruments in their instrument collection.
Sharon also has a pretty 34-string cherry Celtic harp John built. (Click here to see "the harp John built" .)
For many years, John was the co-chairman of the Midland Dulcimer Festival. In November, 2009, after a devestating diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis which greatly decreased his lung capacity, John was forced to submit his resignation from management of the Midland Dulcimer Festival which has since been revised and is now called the Midland Folk Music Festival.
For well over 20 years, the Skaryds were directors of a performing dulcimer club, Saginaw Subterranean Strings Hammered Dulcimer Club. In August 2012, they finished their 20-year run of successful summer Haithco concerts and closed the club.
In 2015 (after 20 years in that role), Sharon resigned as workshop chairman of the world's largest hammered dulcimer gathering, the ODPC Funfest and also relinquished the website duties. She's gradually been closing down the dulcimers.com website. The slow-down was primarily dictated by John's lung deterioration. John passed away on May 12, 2018. They wanted him to be around as long as possible but finally the disease won.
John had enjoyed gardening and wine making. Sharon had fun with anything techie. She is also an avid reader (hooked on her Kindle), enjoys photography, and loves writing. You can follow some of her writings on her blog: http://sharons-blog.com
The Skaryds' Michigan home from December 1986 until July 2018 was on a pretty, small lake west of Saginaw (in Thomas Township off M-52). (The photo on the left shows view from the opposite side of lake. (Our place was the middle - brown roof.)
On October 6th, 2008, they purchased their Kings Point, Sun City Center, condo. (Kings Point is a gated community within Sun City Center, FL.)
The lower right photo of the colorful sky was taken from the back of the Kings Point Condo. You can see one of the two ponds which make a lovely view. It's now Sharon's full-time home.
John's IPF problem took a lot of his lung capacity but he exceeded the two to five year life expectancy figured for 97% of cases with his disease. He lived NINE years. For the last two years he was on oxygen 24/7.
Sharon says, "In Florida, I'm now the president of my condo owners association which takes a lot of my time. I also volunteer with the Sun City Center Emergency Squad every eight days. I attend dances but not with the regularity I did when John was with me. Yes, I've dated some but nothing seems to work out and I'm finding I'd rather be alone than with someone I wish would leave."
