Charles Sharpe

Burlington Charles Speedy W. Sharpe, Sr., 75, of 2613 Saddle Club Rd., Burlington, passed away at the Hospice and Palliative Care Center of Alamance-Caswell on Tuesday, October 2 at 6:45 p.m. following one year of poor health and one week of critical illness. Charles was born in Dora, Alabama and moved to Alamance County as an infant. He enjoyed growing up in his beloved Village of Alamance and was a 1952 graduate of E.M. Holt High School. He was an outstanding athlete and was the first student to letter in four sports during high school. He attended Elon College. He was the son of Idell Chester and Kermit Lewis Sharpe, both deceased. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Geraldine Loy Sharpe of the home; two children, Cathy Sharpe Schweitzer of the home and Charles Chuck W. Sharpe, Jr. and his friend Kim Perreault of Morehead City, N. C. He has one grandson, Brent Ryan Schweitzer of the home. Also surviving are three brothers, Jerry Sambo R. Sharpe and wife Donna; Kenneth Sharpe and Roger Sharpe of Burlington; two sisters, Priscilla Donals and husband Scott of Orlando, Florida; and Nina Nesbitt of Crown Point, Indiana; sister-in-law and brother-in-law Diane and Henry Somers of Kingsport, Tenn.; three nephews, four nieces, several great nieces and nephews and a godson Stephen Walker. He also leaves behind his close companion Caroline. Charles was in the heating and air-conditioning business and a service repairman for Sears before starting this own business, AAA Service Center in the 1960s. He was a member of Brookwood Baptist Church were he has served as Boys Sunday school teacher, scoutmaster and deacon. He was well known in Alamance County as a mentor of young people and especially young men. He originated Boy Scout Troop l26 at Brookwood and acted as scoutmaster for many years. He later served as a board member of his troop. He led many young men to the coveted Eagle Scout Award, but his proudest scouting moment was when he assisted in awarding his grandson, Brent, the Eagle Scout Award just before his illness. Charles had an unusual passion and love for his every undertaking as well as the people around him. Whether it was helping his daughter Cathy train and show her horse, or coaching the many youth sports teams in both the city, county, and YMCA leagues. His 1973 Alamance County Midget football team, The Mountaineers won the NC State championship. Many of the young men he coached moved on to very successful college and coaching careers including Hal Capps, head football coach of Western Alamance High School, and John Walker who was head baseball coach at North Myrtle Beach High School. He was also proud to have coached the first female baseball player in the county. As his boys reached the high school level, Charles became an avid booster of Williams High School sports. He and his fellow Mountaineer parents brought about a change of the boosters from Monday night quarterbacks to busy workers as they renovated the weight rooms and refurbished both the mens and womens dressing rooms and provided much needed equipment to the sports department. All who knew him were aware that he was a true lifetime Tar Heel fan. He was able to live a fathers dream when he watched his son, Chuck, who he had coached for so many years, start at quarterback for the University of North Carolina Tar Heel football team. Chuck was named ACC Rookie of the Week three times and was also chosen as second team Freshman All-American by the national football press for the 1978-79 year after setting several school records. Charles became an avid golfer and loved his Senior Golf and golfers. He organized the Senior Tri-State Golf Tournament 5 years ago, which was held in the mountains of NC, Tennessee and Virginia. The golfers and wives enjoyed a unique 3-day adventure. He was unable to attend the recent trip but so happy that the tradition has continued. Gardening became a passion and so many people have enjoyed the fruits of his labor from his vegetable garden on Saddle Club Rd., as well as the beautiful garden he designed and planted for his wife at the intersection of Saddle Club Rd. and Front St. that is enjoyed by all passing by. He received great pleasure in being able to share his vegetables with Loaves and Fishes. In his final year he was so blessed and was continually grateful for the excellent care and compassion shown by Dr. Richard Letvak of Lebauer Healthcare, Dr. Kalsoom Khan and the staff of Stony Creek Cancer Center. The entire family has been blessed in an unbelievable manner by his home nurse, Crystal; CNA, Bradley; social worker, Janet; volunteer and special friend Danny and in his final days by the incredibly caring and professional staff of the Hospice Home. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 6, in the chapel at Brookwood Baptist Church located at 1606 W. Davis Street, Burlington, NC. The family will receive guests following the service in the fellowship hall and lunch will be provided for all. At other times the family will be at the home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Hospice and Palliative Care of Alamance-Caswell, 914 Chapel Hill Rd., Burlington N. C. 27215 or to Boy Scout Troop 126, c/o Brookwood Baptist Church, 1606 W. Davis Street, N. C. 27215.