Obituary of John Thomas Sharpe

O Lord,
 support us all the day long in this troublous life,
 until the shadows lengthen, and the evening comes,
 and the busy world is hushed,
 and the fever of life is over, and our work is done.
 Then, Lord, in thy mercy,
 grant us a safe lodging, a holy rest,
 and peace at the last.
 Amen.

The Ven. John Thomas Sharpe, of Fredericton, passed away at Hospice House on October 14, 2024. John was born in Broad Cove/St. Phillips, Newfoundland and Labrador to John and Elsie (Martin) Sharpe on August 5, 1943.

John is survived by his wife of 54 years, Cynthia Sharpe (Piercey); daughter, Jo-Ann Kendall (Perry); son, John (Jo); grandchildren, Patrick (Hilary), Thomas, Austin (Maddy), and Ally Jo; great grandchild, Izabella Elizabeth Sharpe; sister, Hilda; brother, Ed (Jill); sisters-in-law, Mary Sharpe, Alice Sharpe, Jean Morgan (John deceased), Gwen Harnett (Kevin deceased), Sandra Zerbe (Ken deceased), and Linda Patey; brothers-in-law, John Piercey (Winnie), Doug Piercey (Kathleen deceased), Eugene Flynn (Paula), and Don Piercey deceased (Elizabeth).

John is predeceased by his parents, John and Elsie Sharpe; brothers, Leo (Ethel), Victor (Olive), Gerald (Doreen), Harvey, and Ray; sisters, Jean (Austin) and Brenda (Derek & Dave); brothers-in-law, Clarence Clarke and Les Squires.

John was a schoolteacher in St Phillips and Rose Blanche for 4 years. He attended Queens College in St. John’s for two years, studying theology. From there he moved to Toronto to join the Church Army for three years. During this time, he served summers on the Labrador coast. He graduated from Church Army in 1968 and was assigned to the Parish of Westmorland in New Brunswick from 1968-70.  On May 17, 1970, he was ordained a Deacon and made curate of St. George’s Parish in Moncton under The Venerable Tom Crowther. While there, he studied at Thorneloe University and was Priested on May 31, 1973. In 1974, he was appointed to the Parish of Salisbury Havelock until 1981. In the fall of 1981, he was appointed to the Parish of Riverview where he served until August 1989. In September 1989, he was appointed to the Parish of Fredericton Christ Church (Parish) Church. While there, he served as Archdeacon, and he retired in March 2007. In “retirement” he served in the Parish of Bright and Chaplain of the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital. During his years in ministry, he received the following appointments and honors: Regional Dean, Canon of Christ Church Cathedral, and Archdeacon of Fredericton.  He was also a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow.

John (Dad / Poppy) was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend. A proud Newfoundlander, John always embodied the loyalty and resilience of his upbringing. His passion for the game of hockey began on frozen ponds as a child and continued through his lifelong support of the Maple Leafs. John loved his parents and faithfully joined his mother at church on Sundays as a boy and as a young man until he was old enough to take on the full responsibility of joining the ministry. John believed in making a full commitment to his path and having unwavering trust in God; his essence and reason for being in this world was to embody these beliefs. John was a people person by nature whose shelves of books and hours spent at his desk cannot be compared to the magnitude of his efforts to minister directly to those in need every day. In 1998 John donated a kidney to his sister, Brenda, a demonstration of his family commitment. Making the long trip home to Newfoundland every summer, John instilled the same love for family upon his children. He cherished his time with “the boys” (Jo-Ann's children) whether it was playing games, raking leaves, or being their biggest fan in sports and other events. He loved spending time and having fun with his great-granddaughter, Bella, and her mother, Ally Jo. John’s efforts, joys, and achievements from parish to parish were all the time supported by his loving wife, Cynthia. His journey was made possible through her devotion.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Christ Church (Parish) Church, Parish of Bright, or Hospice Fredericton.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the care of McAdam’s Funeral Home. There will be no visitation. A Funeral Service will be held at Christ Church (Parish) Church on Thursday, October 17, 2024 at 2:00 pm followed by a reception. For those unable to attend the service, a live stream will be available at the following link: https://vimeo.com/event/4656315. Interment at the Fredericton Rural Cemetery will take place at a later date.

“Let me live in my house by the side of the road
and be a friend to man.”