Mary Rose Sharkey

Mary Rose Sharkey

Mary Rose Sharkey, 82, of North Michael Street, St. Marys, Pennsylvania, passed away on Thursday, November 18, 2010, at the Pinecrest Manor, after a lengthy illness.

She was born on April 16, 1928, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the daughter of the late David W. O'Brien MD and Mary Rose Magee O'Brien. She was the beloved wife of Dennis A. Sharkey Jr. MD, who survives, of St. Mary's. They were married on June 25, 1955, in Waynesboro, Virginia.

She was the beloved mother of Mary Rose Silber of Lutz, Florida, Denise Yeager of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, and Dennis A. Sharkey III of Philadelphia. Also surviving are five grandchildren, Emily Rose Sarginger, Brian Robert Sarginger, Stephanie Magee Yeager, Caitlin Pamela Yeager and Andrew James Yeager. She will be greatly missed by them. She is also survived by two brothers, David W. O'Brien, the Reverend William S. O'Brien; and three sisters, Kathleen Spitzer, Anne Tompkins and Patricia Taylor. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by two sisters, Eileen M. O'Brien and Constance M. Cathell; and by one brother, Joseph M. O'Brien.

Mrs. Sharkey graduated from Fairfax Hall in Waynesboro, Virginia, and in 1955, received a diploma from the Dental Hygiene school and a Bachelors of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania.

After moving to St. Marys, she worked for many years at the Elk County Catholic High School and then for local dentists, Dr. Chester Huth and Dr. Charles R. Haskell.

Among her numerous volunteer activities, she was a member of the then Andrew Kaul Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and the head of the Candy Stripers. Along with her husband, she was a long-time supporter of the local United Way Campaign, being an original member of the Leadership Club.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Mary's Church, 10 a.m. Monday, November 22, 2010, with the Reverend Meinrad Lawson OSB, pastor as celebrant with burial at St. Mary's Cemetery.

Visitation will be at the Lynch-Radkowski Funeral Home in St. Marys, Pennsylvania, from 5 until 8 p.m., Sunday, November 21, 2010.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Community Nurses Inc., 957 Johnsonburg Road, Suite 200, St. Marys, PA 15857 or to the Benedictine Sisters, St. Joseph Monastery, 303 Church Street, St. Marys, PA 15857.


This obituary was originally published in the News Virginian.