Richard Allen Sharp Jr.
Richard Allen Sharp Jr. of Monroe died peacefully on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012, at St. Anthony Community Hospital in Warwick after a long battle with cancer. He was 64.
Rick was born in Cornwall on Nov. 8, 1947, the son of Richard Allen Sharp and Barbara McBride Sharp. He grew up in Walden and had lived in Monroe for the past 33 years.
A graduate of Valley Central High School and Binghamton University, with a masters degree in education from the State University of New York at New Paltz, Rick taught mathematics at Warwick Valley Middle School for 34 years.
His sense of humor and creative, sometimes offbeat, lessons both instructed and entertained his students. He served for several years as president of the Warwick Valley Teachers Association.
He also put his humor and rapport with young people to good use coaching Little League, soccer and PTA basketball in Monroe.
Rick was a longtime member of the Monroe United Methodist Church where he sang with the choir, played guitar and sang with the church band. He also served in many other capacities, including lay leader, lay speaker, founding board member of Creative Children Christian Preschool, mens club treasurer and president of the board of trustees.
After retiring from teaching in 2004, Rick enjoyed pursuing his long-standing love of travel, golf and music.
In addition to the church choir and band, he played with the Penny Loafers band, which entertained residents of local nursing homes, and sang with the Warwick Valley Chorale. He was a supporter of the Warwick Valley Middle School guitar club and enjoyed playing occasionally with the club as well as for middle school musical productions.
Rick looked upon his 14-year battle with cancer as an adventure, though not one he would have sought, and faced every challenge with courage, remarkable resilience and his trademark sense of humor.
Special thanks to Dr. William Cieplinski and his colleagues at Goshen Medical Associates for 14 years of outstanding medical care and to the wonderful staff of St. Anthony Community Hospital, especially the ICU staff, for their care of Rick during the last months of his life.
Rick is survived by his wife Karen Bardossi at home; his son Daniel Sharp of Manhattan; his sister Sandra Drake and husband Richard of Salt Point; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Michael Bardossi and Julia Heydon of Eugene, Oregon; sister-in-law Elizabeth Bardossi of Ashland, Oregon; niece Joy Drake and grandnephew Devon Vasquez of Salt Point; and niece Judy Sandola and her husband Mark of Staatsburg.
A memorial service was held Feb. 16 at Monroe United Methodist Church, with Rev. Kimberly Bosley officiating.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Warwick Valley Teachers Association Scholarship Fund (checks to WVTA Scholarship Fund with Rick Sharp on the memo line), Box 595, Warwick, NY 10990 or Monroe United Methodist Church, 47 Maple Avenue, Monroe, NY 10950.
Funeral arrangements were made by Smith, Seaman & Quackenbush, Inc. Funeral Home. For additional information, call 845-782-8185 or visit online at www.ssqfuneralhome.com.