Sharon Burgess Hackett

Ms. Sharon Elizabeth Burgess Hackett, 75, a lifelong educator and beloved guidance counselor, passed away on October 25, 2025 in Wellington, Florida.

A native of Chicago, Illinois, Ms. Burgess Hackett dedicated her life to shaping young minds. She began her career as a teacher in Chicago in the 1970s after earning a Master’s degree in Education from Roosevelt University. Her Doctorate in Educational Psychology from Seton Hall University was an achievement she deeply valued.

After moving to New Jersey in the 1980s, she began a long and impactful career as a high school guidance counselor in Monmouth County. She worked first at Red Bank Regional High School in Little Silver before joining the Freehold Regional High School District, where she counseled students at Marlboro High School, Colts Neck High School, and Freehold Township High School until her retirement around 2010. Several years after retiring, she moved to Wellington, Florida, which became her home.

Her role as a counselor was a definitive part of her life; she was adored by her students, many of whom remember her as a pivotal figure who guided them with wisdom and genuine care.

In addition to her passion for education, she was an intuitive and successful, yet discreet, investor—a pursuit to which she dedicated much of her time following her retirement. She was also a proud Golden Life Member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. But above all, the roles she cherished were best captured in how she repeatedly described herself: “Mother, Friend, and Lover of Yorkshire Terriers.” To that end, her role as a mother was central to her life, and she took immense pride in her son. She was also a loyal and treasured friend, valued for her charm and wit—she had the presence to light up any room she entered if the mood struck her to do so. She was likewise passionate about Yorkshire Terriers, including her beloved late Mr. Bentley and her surviving companion, Wellington.

She is survived by her son, Brennan E. Hackett, of Washington, D.C., and Wellington, Florida; her stepson, Rufus E. Hackett III; and her niece, Janelle L. Roper. She was preceded in death by her parents, Paul C. Burgess and Evelyn B. Mhoon, and her brother, Charles E. Burgess.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, November 7, 2025. A viewing will be held at 10:00 AM, followed by a service at 11:00 AM at Palms West Funeral Home, 110 Business Park Way, Royal Palm Beach, Florida. Entombment will immediately follow at Our Lady Queen of Peace Cemetery, 10941 Southern Boulevard, Royal Palm Beach, Florida.

For those who wish, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund or Big Dog Ranch Rescue of Wellington, Florida.

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