Billy Joe “Bill” Sharp, son of the late Hubert and Bead Wood Sharp was born December 9, 1943 in Waterloo, Alabama. He attended public schools in Lauderdale County and was a 1963 graduate of Waterloo High School “Cougars”.
He started his professional life by emigrating away from his sweet home Alabama to Peoria, Illinois to follow his brother’s dream of getting away. He worked as a professional seamless gutter installer at Sharp’s Gutter Service for most of his working life, retiring in 2021.
Bill married his “soul-mate” Judith Anne Hayworth of Peoria, on June 13, 1985. They settled in Brimfield, IL where they built a life together surrounded by family and friends. He was a dedicated and loving family man who nurtured his many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Bill was an avid outdoorsman and lover of the flora and fauna of central Illinois. He was a renowned finder of morels, smoker of venison and catcher of fish. He was also a world-famous squirrel whisperer. Bill was an avid golfer and a member of the hole-in-one club at Oak Run Golf Course in Dahinda, IL.
Though an Illinois transplant, he never lost his southern accent and was often referred to as a “Hillbilly”. This southern charm compelled him to be a friendly and outgoing person, eager to meet new people and strike up interesting conversations.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Hubert (Bead) Sharp of Waterloo, Jack (Patricia) Sharp of Peoria, IL, Coren (Thomas) South of Florence, Virginia (Grayford) Wallace of Cloverdale, William “Tiny” Sharp of Waterloo.
His life will be forever cherished in the lives of his beloved bride Judith, his children, Greg (April) Sharp of Creve Coeur, IL, Jeffery “Scott” (Tammie) Sharp of Princeville, IL, Jeffrey (Amber) Smith of Elmwood, IL, Ronald (Veda) Smith of Farmington, IL, and his favorite, Jennifer (Will) Grady of Goodfield, IL; one brother, William Charles Sharp of Waterloo, AL; two sisters, Betty Arnold of Florence, AL and Sarah Smith of Roanoke, VA; 12 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Bill’s funeral service will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday April 30, 2022 at the Davison-Fulton Bartonville Chapel. Will Grady will officiate. His visitation will be from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. also on Saturday at the funeral chapel. A celebration of life will follow at the Farmington Sportsmen’s Club at 4904 N. Stone School Road in Elmwood, IL.
Online condolences may be left for Bill’s family at www.davison-fulton-bartonvillechapel.com.
