Grady Franklin Sharp

SALEM - Grady was born September 3rd, 1934 in Kirkland, TX, and passed away on July 6, 2025. He was the third son of Garland Laurence Sharp and Wilsie Marie Stephenson. He is preceded in death by his parents, his brothers, Garland Laurence, Jr. and Bobby Lee, by his two sisters, and his daughter, Denise. When he was six months old, Grady’s family moved to Beaumont, CA where he grew up. He graduated from Beaumont High School in 1952, married his high school sweetheart, Wonlyn Norcross, and joined the Navy (better that than being a farm worker in California’s central valley). He became an aircraft engine mechanic and flew air-sea rescue helicopters off the USS Boxer during the Korean War. There are men who were able to go home to their families because of Grady’s service. After the war, he worked as an aircraft mechanic at Lockheed, birthplace of the Spruce Goose, later became a police officer in Redlands, CA, attended Chaffee College, San Bernadino Junior College, and graduated from California State University, Los Angeles with a BS and an MA. He taught at Cal State for a number of years. In 1972, following the lure of better weather and, most important, fishing, he joined the faculty of Chemeketa Community College in Salem, OR as their 21st instructional hire. He taught criminal justice there for 20 years and retired as chair of the CJ department. He believed that training good cops was a gift he could give both to his students and to the community. After his retirement, he owned Salem Auto Auction, indulging his love of buying and selling cars. In 1998, he and his partner of 36 years, Betsy Fielding, purchased a cabin at the beach and he began volunteering at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. Grady adored his children and grandchildren, loved living at the coast, and was passionate about teaching, particularly at the Aquarium where he could discuss octopuses and sea otters with school kids. He and Betsy traveled to many of the western National Parks, and made yearly pilgrimages to Yellowstone. He also loved cats and dogs, and, of course, fishing. Grady is survived by Betsy Fielding, his former wife, Wonlyn Norcross Chapman, his children Darrell Sharp (Ann), Dawn Plews (Milton), his grandchildren Heather, Ryan, Colin, and Emily, and his great grandchildren, Harold, Charlie, and Jack. The family is profoundly grateful for the care Sweet Bye N Bye, and especially Shiela, gave Grady in the last year of his life, it became his home; and also for the help that Willamette Vital Health hospice gave us in his last days. A family memorial gathering will be held at a later date with interment at Willamette National Cemetery at 2:00 on Aug. 8th. Donations may be made to the Oregon Humane Society or the Oregon Coast Aquarium.

Whatever paradise Grady is in, we can be sure that there is a cat by his side, a Yellowstone bison nearby, and a fishing rod in his hands.