The Daily Herald
http://www.heraldnet.com
Kenneth Floyd Sharp departed peacefully from this world on Friday, the 16th of October, 2020 from Mountlake Terrace, Washington. He was 95 years old.
He is survived by his wife of 23 years, Audrey, and his four sons by his first wife; Dart Sharp, Tim Sharp and his wife Genevieve, Neil Sharp, and Owen Sharp and his wife Karen. He is also survived by Audrey's four sons, Lee Jensen, Kelly Jensen and his wife Vera, Chris Jensen and his wife Maria, and Rick Jensen and his wife Tracey. He is also survived by seventeen grandchildren, thirty-two great-grandchildren, and his first wife, Trilby Joanne Grissom. He was preceded in death by his parents, Floyd and Cora Sharp and his sister, Dell Coulter.
Kenneth was born in 1925 in Bristol, South Dakota, and his family moved to Seattle during the Great Depression. He graduated from Queen Anne High School in 1943. He volunteered for the U.S. Navy during the Second World War, serving on board the U.S.S. Sand Lance (SS-381), a submarine in the Pacific which received a Presidential Unit Citation. After his honorable discharge from the Navy, he worked at US Plywood in Seattle.
Ken had a strong work ethic which stayed with him throughout his life, making him a reliable source of support for his entire family. He worked at US Plywood until he was hired by the Seattle Fire Department. There he worked as a firefighter for 26 years, retiring with the rank of Captain. He also worked at many other jobs during his fire department career, both as an independent contractor and as an employee, including landscaping and house painting.
He was much more than a breadwinner, though. Ken was always there for his family, and always made them his priority. He took his family on numerous camping trips, went fishing and hunting with his sons, enjoyed occasional visits to Reno and the Longacres racetrack, and looked after both of his aging parents. He built a house from scratch in Rochester, Washington, doing nearly all the work by himself. He always had a good sense of humor, a willingness to listen and a wisdom born out of long experience.
He also found time for many leisure activities during his retirement, notably including several trips across the country with his wife Audrey, sightseeing and visiting old friends and relations and several cruises to Hawaii and Alaska. He also did a great deal of square dancing, which was where he met his wife, Audrey in 1988. They eloped to South Carolina to get married in 1997.
He was a member of many organizations, including the Seattle Fire Fighters Union, the U.S. Submarine Veterans of World War Two, the Seattle Retired Firefighters Travel Club and the Freewheelers Square Dance Club. He held several offices for the Freewheelers during his time there, including President. The Freewheelers made him and Audrey Lifetime Members in 2006 for all their work for the club.
Kenneth Sharp led a rich and worthwhile life, was loved by everyone who knew him, and will be sorely missed.
In lieu of funeral services, a celebration of Ken's life will take place at a later date. Donations in his memory can be made to the Medic One Foundation (www.mediconefoundation.org).
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