Tun Sharifah was also the younger sister of Syed Omar Barakbah, who turned out to be Tunku Abdul Rahman’s college mate when he was studying in London. Tun Sharifah married Tunku Abdul Rahman in 1939 and they adopted three children, Faridah, Sulaiman and Mariam. She also became a loving stepmother towards Tunku’s children from his previous marriage with Meriam Chong, Tunku Khatijah and Tunku Ahmad Nerang. On March 12, 2000, Tun Sharifah passed away due to pneumonia in Penang, at the age of 80. She was entombed next to her husband at Kedah Royal Mausoleum, in Langgar, Kedah.