Sharon Silva, a driving force in Turlock for decades, died Saturday after a long illness. She was 76.

Silva is best known for work in revitalizing downtown Turlock and her years as CEO of the Turlock Chamber of Commerce. Most recently, she helped create the Los Banos Downtown Association and launched its renovation project.

“Sharon Silva was a catalyst of economic activity for Turlock for all the years I’ve known her,” said former Turlock mayor John Lazar. “Downtown Turlock, the business community and Turlock’s economic health all benefitted from Sharon Silva’s good works.”

Silva served as the executive director of the Turlock Downtown Association and chaired its Design Committee when Main Street underwent a major facelift in the late 1990s and early 2000s. In fact, the project was so successful the downtown association received the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Revitalization Achievement in Design in 2001.

She served as the President and CEO of the Turlock Chamber of Commerce from 2001 until retiring in 2015. During that time she also ran the City’s Convention and Visitors’ Bureau and co-chaired the City’s Centennial Committee in 2008. In 2011 she received the Chamber Executive of the Year award from the Western Division of Chamber Executives, representing the 14th state, and the Woman of the Year Award for the 26th Assembly District. 

In her life, Silva also served for eight years on the school board, owned and co-owned a phone center and a moving company, and actively worked as a fundraiser for non-profit organizations. As a public figure, she hosted an impressive resume of civic activities in Turlock and Stanislaus County.

Silva’s philosophy of business was focused on building relationships and utilizing leadership skills to help others.

“I like relationships,” she said to the Journal in a 2013 interview. “I think things should be built on relationships.”

“Sharon was a tireless advocate for Turlock.  She had the energy of multiple people and wouldn’t take no for an answer.  She was the driving force behind so many important projects throughout the community. Most of all, she was my friend and will be missed.  My thoughts and prayers are with her family,” said County Supervisor Vito Chiesa.

After leaving the Chamber in 2015, Silva moved to Las Vegas with her husband Manuel — but her retirement didn’t last long.

In 2017, she received a call from Gene Lieb, who was the former editor of the Turlock Journal and editor of the Los Banos Enterprise at the time. He was hoping to spark a revitalization in Los Banos’ downtown area, but knew he needed help.

“I knew what she’d done renovating Turlock. I got to see all the ripped up streets and how downtown Turlock was transformed into what it is today,” said Lieb. “I called Sharon and asked her to come to Los Banos and talk to City leaders about what could be done.”

From those meetings, Silva ended up taking on the role of the CEO of the Los Banos Downtown Association and convincing downtown business owners to approve a Business Improvement District tax, making a revitalization campaign possible.

Lieb said that even when she retired (for the second time) from her position in Los Banos, she continued to meet with the downtown board and city leaders at her home in Turlock to talk about future projects.

“When God created Sharon Silva, he broke the mold. There will never be another person so willing to help and ask nothing in return. And if her body was healthy she’d still be doing it today,” said Lieb.

Silva’s lifelong work ethic was especially impactful for her daughter, Tamra Spade.

Spade currently works for the City of Ceres in Economic Development. She said recently during a management meeting icebreaker, everyone had to state who was the most influential in their professional life. And it was an automatic response for Spade to say her mom.

Spade worked at the Chamber of Commerce offices in Tracy and Ripon for a combined 10 years, then got into politics for a few years after watching her mother work in Sacramento advocating for local business. She’s now a champion for economic development in a Valley city, just like her mom.

“Whether she was on the school board or starting things like Turlock Leadership or the downtown revitalization…everything that woman touched was an impact on Turlock. Her heart and soul was in Turlock and she definitely left a legacy,” said Spade. “Just in the last few weeks, the people who have come through our house to see her from Assembly members to mayors to county supervisors to friends, to people saying ‘my career was because of you,’ she had that type of influence. She would help people get started in their careers and help them be successful. So many people told her things that she probably didn’t realize that she had done, they were where they are today because of her. She loved being involved; she loved making a difference.”

Silva is survived by her husband, Manuel; children, Tamra Spade (David Murphy) and Doug Holmes (Irene); grandchildren, Richard Fortado III (Amanda), Cassi Fortado, Derek Holmes (Amber), Lexi Holmes and Kali Spade; and four great grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister Ann Cordell and niece Toni Cordell.

Memorial services are pending, but a tentative date has been set for May 16 — which would have been Silva’s 77th birthday. Check with Allen Mortuary for updated service information.

“As she said to me, ‘This is my last party I’m going to plan.’ And, you know her, she planned it,” said Spade.