Edward Sharp

Edward Ed Robert Sharp, Jr, 85, died Wednesday, July 6, 2016. Funeral services will be held Monday, July 11, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. at the Hope United Methodist Church in Marshalltown, Iowa. Visitation will be held from 3:00 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 10, 2016 at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home in Marshalltown. Memorials may be directed to the family to be designated at a later date. Military Honors will be provided by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #839 and by the American Legion Posts in the area. For condolences or questions please visit www.mitchellfh.com or call 641-844-1234. Mitchell Family Funeral Home is caring for Ed and his family. Ed was born on September 13, 1930 in Atchison, Kansas to Edward and Velma Cohoon Sharp. He received his education in Atchison, Kansas and attended Washburn University where he participated in football and track. After college he joined the Navy. He married Betty Parsley on November 29, 1952 in Atchison, Kansas. Later he married Sally Zimmerman Rowley on November 23, 1981. After high school he had a full ride scholarship to Washburn University on a scholarship for football and track. He was in the Navy from March 1949 through March 1952 and was recruited for the track team to throw the javelin. He was on the Atchison, Kansas police force for 2 years, worked for Swift and Company from 1955 1966 and then transferred to Marshalltown. He retired from Swift and Company in 1992 and then worked for the city of Marshalltown from 1992 to 2014. He umpired for 36 years for the Amateur Softball Association, was Deputy Umpire in Chief for Iowa ASA from 1980 1985 and Umpire in Chief for Iowa ASA from 1985 to 2006, and was well known in Central Iowa for refereeing and umpiring football, basketball, baseball, and softball. He also played fast pitch softball for Swift and Company and the Marshalltown Traveling Team. He received the Elite Umpire status with the Amateur Softball Association of America in 2003, was inducted into the Iowa Amateur Softball Association Mens Fast Pitch Hall of Fame in 2004, was inducted into the Iowa Amateur Softball Association Mens 16 Hall of Fame in 1986, was a Charter Member of the Amateur Softball Association Indicator Fraternity in 1986 and became a member of the Amateur Softball Association Medals program in 2000. He was a member of the American Legion Post #46. He also served as Trustee of Hope United Methodist Church in 2007 and 2008 and was President of the Marshalltown Optimist Club for the year 1997 1998. Ed resided at Sunny Hill Care Center in Tama from April 2015 to July 6, 2016. While there, he received excellent care and all the staff was caring and attentive to his every need. Survivors include his wife, Sally Sharp, of Marshalltown; his sister, Connie (Harry) Kelly of Excelsior Springs, Missouri; two sons, David (UnSuk) Sharp of Santa Maria, California and Steve (Stacy) Sharp of Oregon, Missouri; four stepchildren, Mary Helen Schumann of Olive Branch, Mississippi, Kevin (Marcia) Rowley of Grundy Center, Deborah Beem of Marshalltown, and Diana (Dave) Swanson of Marshalltown; 10 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents.