Paul C. Sharpe's Obituary
Paul Cleveland Sharpe, 85, of Memphis, passed away November 4, 2010. He was born in Memphis, Tennessee to Sydney B. Sharpe and Susie R. (Sturdivant) Sharpe on October 21, 1925, the next to the youngest of six siblings. Paul graduated from Southside High School in 1943 where he was a halfback on the Scrapper grid team. Shortly after graduation, Paul was drafted into the U.S. Army where he served as a Private First Class in the European theatre where he saw duty in England, France, Belgium and Holland. Following an honorable discharge in 1946, Paul attended Memphis State University where he became a member of the Kappa Alpha Fraternity Order, and was a member of the Memphis State’s first post-World War II golf team. It was also at Memphis State where he met his wife of 61 years, Elmira Jane (Weakley) Sharpe of Raleigh, Tennessee. The two were married in Nashville where Paul became an insurance salesman for Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, and where the two eventually had a daughter, Connie Marie, and upon returning to Memphis had another daughter, Brooxie Lynn. It was also in Nashville where he was instrumental in forming the Capital City Golf Association. Paul became known as “The Red Ant” in Memphis golf circles due to his stature and red burr haircut. He was a tireless volunteer for the Memphis Golf Association, and eventually became president. In 1972, Paul became an honorary member of the Tennessee Professional Golf Association, an honor at the time only two other amateurs in the history of Tennessee golf had been privileged to receive. Paul was known as a starter and golf official for many tournaments in the state of Tennessee, and became President of the Tennessee Golf Association, the Southern Golf Association, and the Memphis Seniors Golf Association. In addition, he served as an area representative for the USGA, a sectional chairman of the National Public Links Committee and a director of the Metro Golf Association. Paul was named to the Memphis Golf Hall of Fame in 1990. He was a former member of Windyke Country Club, Colonial Country Club, was the Director of Golf for Big Creek Golf Club, and served on the Bubba Conlee National Golf Tournament Board of Directors. Paul was honored in 2000 for his 43-year service to the FedEx St. Jude Classic (formerly the Danny Thomas St. Jude Golf Tournament) where he was seen as “the Man with the Megaphone” when he started the players on the number one tee from 1958 to 1998. Paul explained his reasons for volunteering at the FedEx St. Jude Classic by saying, “I have always felt that I didn’t have the money that I could give, but this was my way of helping the kids.” In the July 1988 Mid-South Golfer magazine where Paul was on the cover, the article about him said, “to say he has dedicated his life to golf, without compensation, is without question.” In addition to his contribution to golf, Paul was a successful insurance agent with his own agency, Sharpe and Associates. He also was a member of the Shriners of North America. Paul is predeceased by his parents, his brothers Buddy Sharpe, Sydney Sharpe, David Sharpe, Vincent Sharpe; his sister, Margaret Krouse; and his beloved granddaughter, Adrienne Jones. His is survived by his wife, Jane; his sister, Jean Gardner of Clarksdale, Tennessee; his daughters Connie Jones of Cordova, and Brooxie Keary and her husband Jon of Tulsa, Oklahoma; Granddaughter, Mollie Jones Boyle and husband Chris of Rowayton, Connecticut; granddaughter Calley Crews of Denver, Colorado; granddaughter Abbey Carey and husband Trey of Montgomery, Alabama; great-grandsons Eamon and Luke Boyle, and soon-to-be born great-granddaughter, Lilly Broox Carey. The family will receive friends from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., followed by a Rosary Service, on Sunday, November 7, at Memorial Park Funeral Home located at 5668 Poplar Avenue. Funeral Mass will be held on Monday, November 8 at 11 a.m. at St. Michael Catholic Church at 3867 Summer Ave., followed by interment in Memorial Park Cemetery. The family requests memorials be directed to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Memorial Park Funeral Home, “Behind the stone wall”, 901-767-8930. Condolences may be offered at www.MemorialParkOnline.com
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