William Sharp

ANNA, Ill. -- William A. Sharp, 83, of Anna, formerly of Dexter, Mo., died Thursday, July 24, 2003, at Advance Nursing Center in Advance, Mo.

He was born Dec. 10, 1919, in Elco, Ill., son of William Arthur and Melinda Thompson Sharp. He and Edna Mae Warnhoff were married Sept. 8, 1948, in Jonesboro, Ill. She died June 7, 1989. He later married Edna Mae Davis Dec. 21, 1990, in Wickliffe, Ky.

Sharp was a former millwright with National Steel in Granite City, Ill. He was a member of Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses.

He served in the U.S. Army.

Survivors include his wife; four sons, Robert Sharp of Springfield, Mo., Raymond Sharp of Granite City, Ronald and Alan Sharp of Virginia Beach, Va.; two daughters, Sandy Callaway of Daisy, and Kathy Rainey of Advance.

Also surviving are two stepsons, Joshua Davis of Alto Pass, Ill., Gary Davis of Anna; four stepdaughters, Patty Diaz and Carolyn Foster of Anna, Anna Patterson of Sandusky, Ill., Bertie Barnett of Pittsburg, Ill.; 23 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

Friends may call at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday.

The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home, with Elder Ed Mangus officiating. Burial will be in Hagy Cemetery at Dexter.