 Earl Tharp, Sr., 88, of Tharp Lane, Spartansburg, Pa., died at his home on Tuesday, July 3, 2012. He was born in Jackson, Ky., on April 12, 1924, a son of the late Erbin and Izona Brewer Tharp. Earl was raised and educated in Jackson, Ky. As a young man, he worked in the coal mines in Kentucky. He moved to Erie and worked for several companies, including Erie Bronze and Riley Stroker. Later he worked for Struther's Wells in Warren until his retirement. Earl had lived in the Buells Corners area since 1969. He was the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ In God in Spartansburg where he served as pastor for many years. He enjoyed hunting and camping. Earl's main priority had been his family and church. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife on March 25, 2001, Sylvania Turner Tharp, whom he had married on July 10, 1944 in Jackson, Ky., a son Kenneth Tharpe and a daughter Izo Tharp, five brothers; Roy, Virgil, John, Green and Charles, and six sisters; Addie, Lizzie, Nancy, Gladys, Hazel and Mary. Earl is survived by his wife Cathy A. Anthony Tharp, whom he married on May 26, 2001 in Spartansburg, Pa., eight daughters; Brenda Hargrove, Deloris Hagberg, Dorothy Vanderhoff and her husband Mark, all of Meadville, Pa., Donna Barber and her husband Ed of E. Springfield, Pa., Loretta Willis of Union City, Pa., Darlene Bush and her husband Darrell of Erie, Pa., Bertha Fisher and her husband Rusty of Ripley, NY., and Sharon Beightol of Erie, Pa., a daughter-in-law Linda Tharp of Warren, Mich., and six sons; Dennis Tharp and his wife Darla of Union City, Pa., Earl Tharp and his wife Vivian of Monroe, N.C., John Tharp of Monroe, N.C., Larry Tharp of Erie, Pa., Jim Tharp and his wife Louise of Jamestown, N.Y., and Tom Tharp of Spartansburg, Pa., and a sister Fern Embrick of Warren, Mich. He is also survived by three step-daughters Linda Gribus of Newport News, Va., Judy Burrows of Spartansburg, Pa., and Karen Thomas and her husband Wayne of Norfolk, Va., and two step-sons Michael Burrows and his wife Thelma of Spartansburg, Pa., and James Shelp of Bradford, Pa., and 57 grandchildren, 76 great-grandchildren and one great great-granddaughter. Friends are invited to call at the Church of Jesus Christ In God, Centerville-Buells Corners Rd., Spartansburg, Pa., on Saturday from 10 a.m. until the time of the funeral service there at 1 p.m. Rev. Arnold Brewer will officiate. Burial will be in Pine Grove Cemetery, Corry, Pa. Memorials may be made to the Earl Tharp Memorial Fund c/o Bracken Funeral Home, 315 N. Center St., Corry, PA 16407.
Published in the Erie Times-News on July 6, 2012
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