Maj. Gen. Sandy E.C. Sharpe, Jr. U.S. Air Force (RET)

Ervin C. "Sandy" Sharpe, Jr., Major General, USAF (Ret) age 84, died on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, at HPH Hospice Care Center in Lecanto, FL. From his birth in Atlanta, Georgia, on August 16, 1941 to his death on Monday, Feb. 9th, he will be fondly remembered by family and friends as a loving husband, father, proud patriot, aviation enthusiast and distinguished US Air Force veteran. He was born to Ervin C. Sharpe, Sr. and Emma K. Sharpe of Fort Lauderdale, FL. He attended St. Anthony Grade School and Central Catholic High School in Fort Lauderdale, FL. He graduated from Florida State University in 1963 with a degree in Business Administration. He received a Master of Business Administration degree in Aviation Management with honors, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Florida in 1979. Sandy and his former wife and still cherished friend, Mary Ruth Howell of Lakeland, FL, were married in 1962 and blessed in 1965 with their precious daughter, Kaylynn. Sandy met and married Mary Jo Inman of Portageville, MO in 1971 to begin a 47 year marriage and to serve side by side for 31 years of service to the United States Air Force and the Nation. Sandy entered the Air Force in 1967 as a distinguished graduate of Officer Training School, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. He commanded a tactical fighter wing, the Center for Aerospace Doctrine, Research and Education, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., and was vice commander of 7th Air Force, Osan Air Base, South Korea. He was the initial operational squadron commander of the first F-117A stealth fighter squadron and commanded the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing A-10 Thunderbolt II operations throughout the deployment to Saudi Arabia in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He was a command pilot with more than 3,300 flying hours and flew 242 combat missions over Southeast and Southwest Asia.

His decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 15 Oak Leaf Clusters, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster and the Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster. He retired in 1999 as Major General, United States Air Force.

He was a member of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus and the VFW in Beverly Hills, FL. Left to honor Sandy and remember his love are his daughter Kaylynn Sharpe Horn-Tye and Dr. John Tye of Lenoir, NC; his daughters Cindy Lou Pumroy of Beverly Hills, FL; Amy Lynn Dix, and Paul Larson, of Homosassa, FL; Kelly Smith of VA; sister-in-law, Rose Mary, and niece Dena Givens of Memphis, TN. Also, remembering him with much love and devotion are his many grandchildren and great grandchildren whom he and Mary Jo cherished. Sandy was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Mary Jo; his parents; daughter Kimberly VanEykeren and son-in-law Lou of Las Vegas, NV; brother-in-law Joseph W. Richardson, III; his half-sister, Carolyn A. Heller of Charleston, SC and half-brother US Army Air Corps Flight Officer William E. Sharpe of Charlotte, NC.

Friends will be received on Monday, March 9, 2026 at 1:00 P.M. at Fero Funeral Home & Life Celebration Center in Beverly Hills, Florida, where praying of the Rosary by the Knights of Columbus will commence at 1:30 P.M., followed by a Celebration of Life at 2:00 P.M. A subsequent Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at 11:00 A.M. at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Beverly Hills. Interment will follow at a later date to rest in peace with Mary Jo in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia. Please return to this webpage for future updates regarding the date and time for this service.

The Sharpe family would like to extend our gratitude to all the loving caregivers at HPH Hospice and Care Team for their compassion and loving care over the years of need. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Sandy and Mary Jo's name to St. Jude's Children's Hospital at http://giftfunds.stjude.org/MaryJo. Care and services entrusted to Fero Funeral Home & Life Celebration Center, Beverly Hills, FL. www.ferofuneralhome.com

In addition to St. Jude's, In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Sandy's memory to the following charitable organizations and programs he supported.

Mary Jo Sharpe Scholarship for Global Experiences at ASU

https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/54088/donations/new

(Type the scholarship name in the search box located on this donation page)

Air & Space Forces Aid Society (AFAS), an official charity for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force

https://afas.org/donate/

https://afas.org/

https://afas.org/our-mission/

https://afas.org/community-programs/

Good Samaritan Mission of Uganda

3023 Leanne Court, Clearwater Florida 33759

Holy Family Catholic Church 200 78th Ave NE, St. Petersburg FL

[email protected], for information

https://gsm-uganda.org/ ( to donate)