Thomas Harris Sharp

Thomas Harris Sharp was born in East Texas to Lawrence Raybourne Sharp and Debbie Harris Sharp in 1921. He graduated from Beckville High School in 1938 and attended The University of Texas at Austin earning his Batchelor's degree and J. D. Degree in 1948. Mr. Sharp served his country in the U.S. Army Air Corps as a navigator-bombardier in a B-26 bomber for 3 years stateside and for the last 10 months of World War II in Europe, flying 28 missions in the lead plane over France and Germany.

He returned to Texas in October of 1945 and served one term in the Texas Legislature while in law school. Upon graduation, he was elected to the position of County Judge in Panola County. He married Mary Jeanne Brooks in 1950 and moved to Dallas in 1952.

Charlotte was born in 1955 and John was born in 1958. Mr. Sharp worked for Sun Oil Co. and later expanded a real estate business. The family attended Highland Baptist Church and First Baptist Church of Dallas. Tom and Mary Jeanne were active in the mission of Texas Baptist Men and traveled to many places in the U.S. and Canada, constructing buildings for mission outreaches and holding Vacation Bible School for local children.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents, and three brothers, L. R. Sharp, Jr., Sidney Argus Sharp, and James Alcon Sharp; and one sister, Frances Anne Milton.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Mary Jeanne Sharp, of Dallas; one daughter, Charlotte Lightner and husband Louis (Skip) of Richardson; one son, John Sharp and wife Lisa of Richardson; one sister, Elizabeth Robinson; and three grandchildren, Harrison Sharp, Anne Lightner, and Benjamin Sharp. Numerous nieces, nephews, in-laws and a few friends also survive Mr. Sharp.