Obituary of Thomas C. Sharp

Thomas C. Sharp, 77, of 419 South Ave. Jamestown, passed away at 9:04 a.m. Tuesday, May 16, 2017, in UPMC Chautauqua WCA, following a extended illness. A lifelong area resident, he was born August 22, 1939 in Jamestown, NY a son of the late Clifford and Marion Lamkin Sharp. Tom was a 1957 graduate of Jamestown High School where he excelled in football and baseball, being named first team all state as a half back for the Red Raiders during his senior year. This spring he will have his number retired at Strider Field as a member of the Jamestown High School Wall of Fame. Following high school Tom had a tryout with the Brooklyn (L.A.) Dodgers and received a scholarship to San Diego State University. He later transferred to SUNY at Cortland where he received his bachelor's degree in Physical Education in 1965. He began teaching with the Jamestown Public School System and also started his coaching career as an assistant football coach at Jamestown High School in 1968. Before his retirement he was employed by the Frewsburg Central School System as a physical education teacher and was the head football coach at Frewsburg for 30 years being named the small school coach of the year in 1989, and retired in 2003 with over 100 victories. He was a communicant of St. James Catholic Church. He loved all sports and during his retirement years was an avid golfer. Surviving is his wife Suzanne Handzel Sharp whom he married May 30, 1959, two daughters, Stephanie (Timothy) Doughty of Jamestown, Laurie (Rick) Sharp Chenez of Lockport, NY, a son, William "Bill" Sharp of Jamestown, five grandchildren, Sarah (Chris) Patric of Jamestown, Jacob Chenez, Zachary Chenez, Abbey Chenez all of Lockport, Nathan Sharp of Brockport, NY, three great grandchildren, Michael, Landon and Aria Patric and a brother, John (Darlene) Sharp of Spokane, WA. Besides his parents he was preceded in death by a son, Matthew A. Sharp, a sister, Janet Emerson, a brother Randy Sharp and a son-in-law, Michael Carney. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. Saturday in St. James Catholic Church. The Rev. Darrell G. Duffy, pastor will be celebrant. Burial will be in the Holy Cross Cemetery. Friends will be received from 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. Friday in the Lind Funeral Home where a Christian Wake Service will be led at 8:45 p.m. Friday. Memorials may be made to the Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo Foundation, 1028 Main St. 4th Floor, Buffalo, NY 14202 or to St. Jude's Children's Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.