Jack Sharpe devoted himself to charity, family

Published 10:29 pm Saturday, February 14, 2009

Jack Sharpe was a consummate advocate for the fire service on Camano Island.

“He was supportive of the local fire crews,” said Stanwood Camano Fire and Rescue Assistant Fire Chief Craig Helgeland. “In his friendly fashion, Jack would typically inquire about the common routines and happenings within our agency.”

Sharpe’s friendship to fire crews extended to Mexico. He traveled to Mazatlan in 1998 to deliver surplus fire equipment and protective gear to agencies that had little.

“Both the mayor and fire crews in Mazatlan were quite thrilled to receive such new and used treasures for their own community,” Helgeland said. “We were proud to have known and worked with Jack over the years. His good will lives on among all of us.”

John “Jack” Sharpe died Jan. 7 of heart failure. He was born in Rutland, Ill. Jan. 17, 1926, to Frank and Polly Sharpe. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Howard, sister Imogene and his daughter Stacey Lynne.

Sharpe joined the U.S. Marine Corps when he was 16 and fought in World War II at Saipan, Iwo Jima and Taipan. He was injured on Iwo Jima, returned to school, then joined his brother starting a moving business that they owned for several years in Illinois.

He met his wife, Lois, in Sunday school and they were married in May of 1949. He also is survived by sons Gregg and his wife, Terri; Kim and his wife Patti; grandchildren Matthew and Rebecca; and great-grandchildren, Ethan, Jade and Aanya.

The Sharpes bought property on Camano Island in 1968 and used it for weekend getaways. They retired to the island in 1985. Sharpe was a member of the Knights of Columbus, an Elk and helped form the Camano Island Lions Club.

Karen Daum, director of tourism and operations for the Camano Island Chamber of Commerce, said Sharpe was a kind, gentle and truthful friend.

She met him in the parking lot before a chamber meeting.

“Jack pulled in the parking lot at the same time as I did, and we both drove the same car, a 1998 Chevrolet Blazer, his silver and mine red,” Daum said. “I got out of my car and told him ‘Nice car.’ And he replied, ‘You better believe it.’ “

That was his favorite Jackism: “You better believe it.”

Though her friend saw the horrors of war, and knew the utter tragedy of losing a child, he had a great sense of humor.

“He liked a good joke as much as the next guy,” Daum said.

And he treated his wife like a queen, Daum said. He followed his wife to the service station so she never had to pump her own gas. When Lois Sharpe and Daum would go shopping together, Jack Sharpe would leave notes on his wife’s car, telling her he picked up a video to watch that night, or got the groceries they needed.

He wrote his wife love notes — on toilet paper. He loved steak and potatoes, the Seattle Seahawks, Mariners and hated the New York Yankees.

“Jack maintained the flags that flies at the Chamber’s Visitor Information Center,” she said. “He was a very patriotic man and loved his country. He would stop by the Visitor Information Center from time to time just to see how things were going and how I was doing. I really miss those times.”

When Daum hears a car door slam at work, she thinks “Jack’s here.”

Then reality hits that he won’t be stopping by, she said.

As part of his Lions charitable work, Sharpe was instrumental is getting an ambulance, gently used firefighter clothing, hoses, emergency rescue equipment and radios donated by Washington and Idaho firefighters to take to Mazatlan’s volunteer firefighters.

They planned to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary in May with family in Mazatlan.

The trip is still on, Lois Sharpe said, just as her husband wanted.

You better believe it.