Leah Marie Sharpe

Leah was born in St. Boniface, Canada, and grew up on a farm in Mud Flats, Manitoba, surrounded by the wide prairie skies and the closeness of a large family. She was one of nine children—four brothers and four sisters—who together learned the values of hard work, resilience, and devotion to one another. Life was not always easy. When Leah was only six years old, her mother passed away, and she and her siblings leaned on one another in their grief, helping to fill the void by caring for each other in the way only a large farm family could. Those early years shaped Leah’s lifelong strength, compassion, and unwavering dedication to family.

In 1954, Leah and her family began a new chapter when she left her homeland of Canada behind to move to Cleveland, Tennessee, with her husband, Jerry, and their two young sons, Eddie and Brian Dale. It was a great leap of faith, one marked by courage and sacrifice, as she left her beloved brothers, sisters, and friends to embrace the unknown. Jerry began work at the new Bowater paper mill in Calhoun, Tennessee, while Leah devoted herself to the demanding and joyful work of raising a growing family. In time, the couple welcomed two more sons, Jerry and Ronnie, filling their home with laughter, energy, and the bustling spirit of four boys.

After the move to Calhoun they joined the Calhoun Methodist Church. The church nurtured the family through the years and grieved with them when their son Eddie died.

When the family later moved to Cleveland, they joined Broad Street Methodist Church and were members until their death.

Leah was more than a devoted wife and mother; she was a woman of remarkable determination and curiosity. While caring for her family, she pursued her education and proudly graduated from the National School of Business, showing her sons by example that perseverance and learning never stop. She carried that belief into her community work, dedicating countless hours as a volunteer at Contact Hotline, where she offered a listening ear and encouragement to those in need. She also became a tutor through the National Affiliation for Literacy Advance, patiently teaching adults to read and opening new worlds of opportunity for them. Her compassion for others was boundless, and she gave her time freely to help improve the lives of those around her.

On November 6, 1997, Leah, Jerry, and their son Brian Dale were sworn in as citizens of the United States. Leah and Jerry were the parents of Edward Gerald, who was killed in 1967 while serving with the United States Marine Corps in South Vietnam. Before Eddie’s death, Brian Dale had also enlisted in the Marine Corps. The governor proclaimed the day as Gerald and Leah Sharpe Day in Tennessee in honor of all naturalized families of Tennessee who have sent family members to defend our honor, our freedom, and our way of life.

Leah’s legacy is one of love, resilience, and service. She will be remembered for her quiet strength, her ability to find joy even in life’s challenges, and her deep devotion to family and community. Her life journey—from the wide fields of Manitoba to the rolling hills of Tennessee—was marked by courage, faith, and an unshakable sense of purpose.

Above all, Leah’s greatest pride was her family. She poured her love into her sons, and in turn, into the grandchildren and great-grandchildren who carry forward her spirit today. Though she has left this earthly life, Leah’s memory will remain a source of comfort and inspiration to all who knew her.

She is reunited with loved ones gone before and leaves behind a family who will forever cherish the gift of her life, her love, and her example.

She is survived by her sons, Brian Dale Sharpe (Naomi) of Cleveland, TN, Jerry Sharpe (Terry) of Columbus, MS; grandchildren, Jason Sharpe (Christina) of Clinton, TN, Justin Sharpe (Tara) of Concord, NC, Benjamin Sharpe of Columbus, MS, Kristy Boyd (Chad) of Farmington, CT, Shannen Sharpe (JP French)) of Atlanta, GA; Great-grandchildren, Peyton and Brayden Sharpe, Oliver and Archer Boyd, Jaxon and Jameson Sharpe; and sister Yvonne Berthelette of Manitoba, Canada.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Gerald (Jerry) Samuel Sharpe;  sons, Edward Gerald Sharpe and Ronald Ray Sharpe and granddaughter Meghan Sharpe.

She was also preceded in death by her parents, Donat and Marcelline Chagnon, brothers, Ben and Stan St. Croix, and Leo and Armand Chagnon, and sisters, Beatrice Cyr, Alice Gautier, and Jeanette Alarie.

The family suggests that memorials may be made to Vietnam Veterans of America, Edward G. Sharpe Chapter No. 596, PO Box 5356, Cleveland, TN 37320 or Hearth Hospice of Cleveland, 1690 25th NW Ste. B, Cleveland, TN 37311.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday, October the 11th at 3:00 PM in the chapel of Poole Funeral Home, 3000 Ralph Buckner Blvd, Cleveland, TN 37311. The family will receive friends from 2:00 PM until the service hour.

Live Stream at:https://www.hdezwebcast.com/show/leah-sharpe