Matt 'Tom' Sharp, 89 of Emmett, passed away at his home on Tuesday Feb. 6, 2007. His family's love surrounded him. Services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9, 2007 at the Potter Funeral Chapel with burial to follow in the Emmett Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday from 3 to 8 p.m. at the Chapel. Tom was born Arzy Madison Sharp in Madison County Ark. on Jan. 8, 1918 to Thomas and Mabel Fowler Sharp. He attended school in Wann, Ark. before venturing west to Idaho. Once in Idaho, Dad met a feisty, little dark-haired girl at a dance at the Liberty Theatre in Emmett. That young woman was Juanita Hyde and she became Dad's wife on Feb. 15, 1938. During their marriage they lived in Garden Valley, Idaho, Hermiston, Ore. and Portland, Ore. before returning to Emmett where they happily lived out the rest of the married life together. Dad worked for the Gem County Road Department for 32 years, retiring as Department Supervisor in 1980. He loved to be outdoors, especially camping, fishing and motorcycle riding. During the salmon runs in the 1960s you could find Mom and Dad hiking or riding their motorcycle down the trails to their favorite fishing holes where they would happily spend the entire day or at least until they caught their limit. Dad had a strong work ethic from an early age as shown by his perfect attendance certificates from his school years. This virtue carried over to his adult life and has been passed down through his family. Dad was lovingly called "Pa" by his 11 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. He will always have a special place in all our hearts. We have many wonderful memories of our life's travels and lessons learned from Pa. After Dad lost Mom to cancer in 1996, ending 58 years of a loving marriage, he married Fawn Wilson. They were great company for each other. Dad was preceded in death by his wife, Juanita; a daughter, Mary and her husband Howard; his parents, Tom and Mabel; brothers, Wilford, Garnald, Ted and Kenny Sharp and their spouses; his sisters, Waunita Benson, Wanda Lee Hearne and Fleta May Sharp. In addition to his grandchildren Pa is survived by his wife, Fawn; daughter and son-in-law, Jewell and Ben Longest, son and daughter-in-law, Tom and Lila Sharp and daughter and son-in-law, Gay and David Johnson, a sister-in-law, Mozell Jones and numerous nieces and nephews.


Published in the Idaho Statesman on 2/8/2007.