SHARPE, THOMAS H. (age 77) passed away on August 27, 2019 after several months of illness.

But throughout that fight, he never lost his sense of humor (although the jokes were sometimes lost on others). Let’s just say he was a master at dry humor. He also was a man of many interests. Some may be surprised to learn he once worked at a dude ranch and was a member of a skydiving club. During his stint as a United States Marine, he earned recognition as a sharp shooter. He was an accomplished rifle- and bow-hunter.  (He also took tap dancing lessons as a boy, but don’t tell him we told you.) When Tom took interest in a new hobby, he didn’t do so lightly. He would read a stack of books and magazines to learn everything he could. When he took up photography, he taught himself not only how about how to take award-winning photos, but also how to develop them, print them and mat them.  His talent earned him a press pass to the Detroit Express soccer games. (Does anyone remember that Detroit once had a professional soccer team?) Tom also took up running and ran many races, his favorite being the Emily Gail “Say Nice Things About Detroit” race. At every home he owned, he installed a garden and enjoyed dining on the vegetables he grew.  He learned to sail and for many years spent summer weekends on his boat, “Sheena.” (His wife Fran eventually forgave him for naming the boat after their dog.) He generously invited many friends and family to join him on sailing excursions to his favorite destination, Put-in-Bay, Ohio. Tom was the first in his family to earn a college degree. He graduated from Michigan Technological University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering. Inexplicably, he was an ardent fan of the University of Michigan football team, but we will forgive him this lapse in judgment. Right after college Tom accepted a job with General Motors, where he quickly moved up the ranks. He stayed with GM for his entire career, an unusual feat in this day and age. It is clear that Tom truly lived his life, and he will be missed by many who knew and loved him. He is survived by his wife, Frances Sharpe; his son Kenneth (Karen) Sharpe; daughter Amy (Pierre) Moncion; step-daughter Lisa (Jason) Stockford; step-daughter Amy (Darren Cadarette) Sutton, twelve grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his twin sister Nancy Robinson and younger sister Janice (Lewis) Gorbach. He was predeceased by his parents, Gerald and Virginia Sharpe. A Celebration of Tom’s life will be held at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, September 12, 2019 atVILLAGE FUNERAL HOME-ORTONVILLE 135 South Street, Ortonville, Michigan. Family will receive friends from 11:00 a.m. until the time of service.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to his favorite charity, Leader Dogs for the Blind https://www.leaderdog.org/donate/  To send a condolence to the family go to www.villagefh.com