Annie Volker

Lou Volker, 93, of Salisbury, Maryland gently passed away from this earthly life while sleeping and
surrounded by her children on Saturday, April 4, 2020. Born as Annie Lou Oakley on January 22, 1927,
she was also known as Lou Sharpe and Lou Volker at various times in her life. The youngest of six
children, Lou grew up during the depression on a tobacco farm in rural North Carolina. Her parents
were Erasmus Hugh Oakley and Addie Sue Rudd (Oakley) and her sisters and brothers were Hallie May
Oakley (Griswold), Coy Jackson Oakley, Minnie Katherine Oakley, Charles Hugh Oakley, and Woodrow
Warren Oakley, all born in Caswell County and now passed away.
During her high school years after the family moved to Alamance County near Burlington, Lou excelled
in playing basketball for Elon College High School. As the team captain, she led the Eagles to the
Alamance County championship in 1945.
In 1947, Lou married John Harold Sharpe who lived on highway 70 about a half mile west of the Oakleys.
After his graduation from NC State College in Raleigh, the couple eventually landed in Salisbury,
Maryland where Harold was recruited by Frank Perdue to eventually be promoted as General Manager
of Perdue Farms. In Salisbury, Lou gave birth to two children, Joan Linda Sharpe and John Harold
Sharpe, II, who survive her. Lou later characterized her years with Harold and her young children in
Salisbury as the happiest days of her life.
In December 1959, tragedy befell the family when Harold died in a private plane accident leaving Lou as
a young widow with two small children. Rather than uprooting the family and returning to North
Carolina, Lou made the decision to stay in Salisbury, Maryland where she and Harold had made many
friends and the children had already started school. Lou, always dedicated to being the best mother she
could be, attended and graduated from the secretarial course at a local business school so that she
could rejoin the work force and support her children as a single parent. Later in life, Lou also took the
Certified Nursing Assistant course at Wor-Wic Community College and cared for a number of elderly
patients in their homes.
In 1968, Lou married Walter Volker of Chestertown, Maryland who had recently reenacted the historic
post-revolutionary war ride of Lt. Col. Tench Tilghman, General Washington's aide-de-camp. The family
enjoyed life in Salisbury and often spent weekends with their out-of-town family members and local
friends on their houseboat, the H.B. Annie Lou.
Throughout her life Lou's passion was to be the best wife, mother and homemaker she could possibly
be. Friends and relatives will remember her especially for her coconut cakes, deviled eggs, fruit pizzas
and many other delicious and creative dishes.
Lou was baptized as a Christian believer, securing her place in eternity. At various times throughout her
life she was an active member of Prospect Hill Primitive Baptist Church (Caswell County), St. Peter's
Episcopal Church, Family Ministries Fellowship in Bridgeville, Del., Holy Trinity Cathedral (Anglican) in
Berlin, MD, and St. Thomas the Disciple Anglican Church in Salisbury.
In addition to her children, Lou is survived by many nieces and nephews, most living in North Carolina.

A private funeral service celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and Lou's transition into his wide-
open and welcoming arms will be conducted on Tuesday, April 14, 2020 at 2 p.m. at St. Peter's Episcopal
Church. In accordance with the current COVID-19 social distancing requirements, friends and family
may view the service on-line by navigating to http://stpeterschurch.net/worship-on-line/ to download
the service bulletin and to link to St. Peter's Facebook live-streaming page. On the left-hand side of the
FB page choose "Videos." Please feel free to leave your condolences to Lou's family in the comments
section.
A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 17, 2020 at the Alamance Memorial Park,
Burlington, North Carolina. Attendees should practice social distancing appropriate for an outdoor
event.
The family would like to thank members of Coastal Hospice and St. Peter's Church for their loving and
professional service during Lou's last six weeks.
Memorial donations may be made in honor of Lou to St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 115 St. Peter's Street,
Salisbury, MD 21801 or Coastal Hospice and Palliative Care, 2604 Old Ocean City Rd, Salisbury, MD
21804.
Arrangements are in the care of Holloway Funeral Home, PA, 501 Snow Hill Road, Salisbury, MD 21804.
Please visit www.hollowayfh.com to express condolences to the family.