James "Jim" Sharpe

He is survived by his wife of 65 loving years, Ruby Sharpe, two sons, Donnie (Diane) and Jerry, and daughter, Lynette (Ron), six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, sister, Nancy Bowen (Ron); numerous extended family members and friends. He was predeceased by his parents, Mamie Byrd Rowland (A.J.) and Harold Sharpe (Lillian), two brothers, Alton and Otis Sharpe, step-sister, Dorothy McConnel (Jim).

He was a veteran of the Air Force and served from 1947 and was active until 1950. At that time, his mother was ill and he was honorably discharged to care for her. On March 15, 1950 he met the love of his life, Ruby. He had completed his education in the Service and attended Jones College when he began his civilian life. They lived in Fernandina in the beginning and later moved to Jacksonville. He was a Deacon, a Sunday School teacher, the Superintendent of the Sunday School Department, a Royal Ambassador Leader and a Training Union teacher for Ramona Boulevard Baptist Church from 1960 to 1969. He had many career accomplishments, mostly in sales and had his own construction company. His first and favorite job was as a CO2 inspector with Walter Kiddy. He worked at the shipyards and installed fire extinguishers, mainly on cargo ships and that had to be approved by the Coast Guard. He had his own furniture and appliance stores, one on Blanding Blvd and one on Normandy Blvd until the mid 1960’s. In 1964, Jim and Ruby went to the Worlds’ Fair in New York City. He also worked as a salesman for the 3rd largest corporation in America at that time which was known as Philco Ford. In the early 1970’s he won the salesman of the year award and won a trip for two to Las Vegas. He also worked for Sears and Roebuck as a salesman in electronics and the tractor and supply department until 1975, then having his own construction business until 1978. He was also involved with Jacksonville Jaycees and won the Jacksonville Spectrum Award in 1978. His construction company, Lifetime Exteriors sponsored the Miss Jacksonville Pageant in 1978. The young lady he sponsored, Tammy Fulwider, now known as Megan Blake, who is now an actress, was the winner of the Pageant. Later he worked for Motor Homes of America until 1985 when he became ill with Guillain-Barre’ Syndrome. He developed complications that kept him from returning to work. In 1989, he became the gateman at Jacksonville Raceways on Pecan Park Road and with his love of racing he was the Founder of the Jacksonville Raceways Hall of Fame in 1990. From 2001 -2004, he and his dear friend, Robert Walker, The Music Man, visited nursing homes to cheer the elderly with the music and visit them. Around 2005 he volunteered at the Veterans Administration of Jacksonville in the Document Shredding Department and afterwards with Chaplain, Jim Mauldin, contacting the Veterans that were disabled, keeping them cheered up and asking them their status of their needs and if there was any way he could help. He loved hunting, fishing, racing, his music, dancing, his pets and spending time with his family.