Walter F. Sharp

SHARP, Walter F., Jr. 2/24/1929 - 1/31/2021 Walter Sharp, 91, of Omaha, passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 31, 2021.Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am Friday, February 5, at Braman Mortuary 1702 N. 72nd Street, Omaha. Visitation will begin at 10:00 am just prior to the service. He was born February 24, 1929 in Arlington, SD to Walter and Hannah (Fish) Sharp. He is the oldest of three siblings. After graduating from High School, Walt attended South Dakota State College on an Army ROTC scholarship. He earned an undergraduate degree in 1952. One of the greatest joys throughout his college years was playing music in a dance band with friend, Scad Voss. Walt served as a 1st Lieutenant in the United States Army. He was stationed in Korea where he was an advisor to the Korean Military Advisory Group (KMAG). He was awarded the Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and a Commendation Ribbon. Upon returning from his service in Korea, he taught Band in Bridgewater and Gregory, SD where he met Dorothy Ann Johnson. The two were married on May 29, 1955 in Winner, SD where they continued their teaching careers.Walt and Dot soon welcomed three children. After completing his master’s degree at the University of South Dakota, the family moved to Omaha, NE in 1961 where Walt began his career with the Omaha Public School System. He taught math at Monroe Junior High, worked as an administrator at Tech High, and spent the majority of his career teaching 7th grade algebra at McMillian Junior High. He was active in the Omaha Education Association and served as President. He was known to many as “The Candy Man” for managing the annual district fundraiser of selling Russell Stover Candies. He was an avid bowler with both a men’s league and a teacher’s league where he was also the league secretary. In retirement he and Dorothy enjoyed traveling and took advantage of several bus tours allowing them to see different parts of the county. He volunteered as a driver for the Shrine hospital and spent many hours on the road transporting patients and their parents from Omaha to the Shriner’s Hospital in Minneapolis, MN. He enjoyed spending time with his family and was especially proud of his grandchildren and great grandchildren. Walt will be remembered for his quick wit and endless supply of jokes and puns; his ability to remember details, people and places; his love of music with a particular soft-spot for the big-band sound; performing complex math calculations in his head, and whistling. Walt was a lifetime member of the Benson VFW Post and will be buried with military honors. He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Hannah (Fish) Sharp, and brother, Gordon Sharp. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Dorothy (Johnson) Sharp; sister, Doris Jean Pahl of Brookings, SD; daughters Deb Luedders (Gary) of Gretna, NE, and Angie Hurley (Mark) of Boise, ID; son, Brad Sharp (Jessica) of Lincoln, NE; grandchildren Ryan Luedders (Adrienne), Brent Luedders (Jen), Erin Hurley, Sara Luedders, Tessa Hurley, Mollie Sharp, Riley Sharp, Cameron Sharp; great grandchildren Sawyer and Oliver Luedders; many nieces and nephews. In Lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family and they will be distributed to the service organizations of which he was a member.