Gene K. Sharp

Gene K. Sharp, 73, of Richland Center, WI, passed away on Tuesday, October 10, 2023, at the Richland Hospital. He was born on October 30, 1949, in Richland Center, WI, the son of Leonard and Sylvia (Curtis) Sharp. Gene was a man of humble beginnings. He worked hard and lived by the AA mantra “one day at a time”. Gene, our dad, was proudly sober for forty-four years. He loved and invested in his AA community, always aiming to attend four meetings a week. Gene’s other life capstone was his love and pride for his children- that’s us!! Our dad has always been a boss and founded his own construction company. Following our dad’s lead, all three of us are the leaders in our own varied professions. Dad had these “tricks”, a bit of wisdom, and catchphrases that he shared with us. Here are a few he was famous for. From a young age, our dad refused to be a victim under any circumstance. He would say, “You poke me once, I will tell you to stop that. You poke me twice, I will say it a little louder. You poke me three times, I will poke you back, and you won’t poke me again.” In terms of business, he had a few rules that he lived by. He continuously said, “Money was easy-it is just a tool and you need to go get it.” He would also say, “Always say hi and smile because you never know where your next job might be coming from.” In regards to expressing his love toward us, our dad had a few catchphrases. When we were little, he would empathetically acknowledge us by saying, “Growing up is really hard, it just is.” And when it was time to go back to our mom’s house on Sunday nights he routinely said, “I love ya, I miss ya, and I’ll see you in two weeks.” Gene was an incredibly kind man and larger than life, even though he didn't know it. He positively impacted all those who he interacted with. He had an incredible work ethic, always hustling and building whatever he needed. Gene loved his children with all his heart and was immensely proud of them. We have and will continue to admire Gene's sobriety and wise words, and are thankful for his AA community. We also want to thank the medical community for taking exceptional care of him these last several years. A special thanks to Dr. Koszewski from UW Madison Hospital. He and his team were amazing in supporting Gene. So Dad, it is with heavy hearts that we say, “We love you, we miss you, and we will see you again.” -Love, Cena, Suzette, and Spenser AKA: the Sharp Kids Survivors include 2 daughters, Cena Sharp of Platteville, WI, Suzette Sharp of Mt Horeb, WI; a son, Spenser (Shannon Hill) Sharp of Montfort, WI; 12 grandchildren, Dominic, Fiona, Evolette, Sylvia, Alana, Ashton, Amari, Ava, Alaina, Tyler, Kensie, and Hank; a sister, Kathy Sharp Andresen of Texas; other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, MaryJo Sharp; significant other, Gail Stone; cousin, Suzie Barry; and a close friend, George Ashley. We are having a celebration of life on Sunday, October 22 from 12:00 pm- 4:00 pm. It will be held at the American Legion 900 Flag Park Drive, Richland Center, Wisconsin. Everyone is welcome to come and commemorate Gene Sharp. www.clarymemorialfuneralhome.com .

Gene K. Sharp

October 30, 1949 - October 10, 2023