Eddie Sharp

Eddie Leon Sharp died January 6, 2017, in Austin, Texas. He was 88. He was known to all as Leon. His funeral will be at 2 p.m., Thursday, January 12, in the pavilion at the Parker Memorial Cemetery in Grapevine, with arrangements by All Faith Funeral Home of Austin.

Leon was born October 9, 1928, in Keller, Texas, to Eddie (Ed) Lee and Oma Bessie (Seiber) Sharp. Leon was the oldest of six children. He was raised on the farm, plowing behind a team of a horse and a mule, milking cows, feeding the hogs and chopping cotton. During the Depression, Leon often worked with his father and younger brother Bobby Joe chopping weeds in cotton fields. Ed couid make $1.00 a day and his boys could make $0.50 each a day. Times were hard. As in many families, only the beginning of World War II brought any relief from the gritty Depression life.


Leon graduated from Grapevine High School in 1945, and at age 16 entered Abilene Christian College now Abilene Christian University. He graduated with a B.A. in Bible in 1949. His great desire was to preach, but at 20 years old, he was considered too young. He worked in the Grapevine area after graduation and nurtured his relationship with Billie Ruth Woodle, a young woman two years his junior, whom he had met and grown to love while they were students at ACC. They were married on February 4, 1950, and immediately moved to Grand Falls, Texas, where Leon had secured a preaching position.


This began a life in full-time ministry that lasted 45 years. Over this time, Leon and Billie ministered together in congregations of the Church of Christ in Grand Falls, Bronte, Sheffield, Meadow, El Paso, Denison, Canton and Anson, and in Carlsbad, New Mexico and Frederick, Oklahoma. Leon's ministry was marked by attention to teaching and preaching and by loving ministry to members of the congregations. He enjoyed friendships with other ministers, learning from the older ministers and encouraging the younger.


Leon and Billie retired in 1995 in Canton, returning to a town and church they loved. Leon served as an elder of the Hwy 243 Church of Christ. In Canton, he helped Billie develop her collectible glass and antiques business at the First Monday Trade Days in Canton. Billie considered him good help at a fair price.


Leon and Billie moved to Austin in 2011 to be close to children and his sister Donna Papagno. They were members of the University Avenue Church of Christ. When Billie died on November 8, 2016, Leon's heart was broken. There was nothing in this world that called him to stay. His burial exactly two months after hers is the fitting end of a sweet love story.


Leon was pre-deceased by his parents and siblings: Melba Duke, Thelma Price and Jimmy Ray Sharp. He is survived by his brother Bobby Joe Sharp of North Richland Hills and sister Donna Papagno of Pflugerville, by his sons and daughters-in-lawa�"Eddie and Annette of Austin, Mark and Cindy of San Antonio, and Bryan and Mary of McKinney, nine grandchildren and four great grandchildren.