Wanza W. Sharp

SHARP, WANZA W. - 92, a resident of Maynardville, TN, passed away Sunday, January 27, 2008, in Decatur, Alabama. Wanza was born in Maynardville, November 11, 1915. She attended public schools in Union County, Tennessee, graduating as valedictorian of her class at Horace Maynard High School. She attended Lincoln Memorial University and graduated with honors from The University of Tennessee where she was selected for membership in Phi Kappa Phi and Pi Lambda Theta, honor societies recognizing academic achievement. Until her retirement in 1979, Wanza taught for 25 years in the Union County School System, first at Horace Maynard High School and later at Maynardville Elementary. She had always loved teaching, and in retirement she soon found herself missing the classroom. So she offered her services as a substitute teacher and as a private tutor. In that role she continued to teach young people until she was nearly 90 years old. Wanza joked that she had taught several generations of Union County citizens and would sometimes tell her students that she had taught their grandparents. Besides teaching, Wanza's other passion was basketball. In the early years of her marriage, her husband had been a high school basketball coach, and Wanza never lost her love of the game. In all sports, she was an avid fan of the UT Vols, but she particularly loved watching the Lady Vols and could name every member of the team. Wanza was active in the Union County Retired Teachers Association and regularly attended the meetings of the Home Demonstration Club. For more than seventy years, she was a member of First Baptist Church of Maynardville. She was preceded in death by her husband, Gains T. Sharp; her parents, John B. and Daicy Sharp; two brothers, Rome Sharp and Rush Sharp; and two sisters, Reva Grizzell and Dana Latham. Wanza is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Martha (Marty) and W. Lloyd Stanley, Jr., Chattanooga; son and daughter-in-law, Dr. Joe T. Sharp and Lee Sharp, Huntsville, AL; six grandchildren, W. Lloyd (Trey) Stanley III (Jennifer) and Dr. Mary Stanley, both of Chattanooga, Erin Tipton (Tipper) of Montgomery, AL, Jared Sharp of Birmingham, AL, Nicholas Sharp of Auburn, AL and Stuart Sharp of Huntsville, AL; two great-grandchildren, Mary Stuart Tipton and Hayden Tipton of Montgomery, AL; a brother, Dr. John B. Sharp, Knoxville; and numerous nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, January 31, 2008 at First Baptist Church of Maynardville with the Rev. Phillip King officiating. Burial will follow in Lynnhurst Cemetery, Knoxville, TN. Pallbearers will be her grandsons and friend, Dat Tran. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to First Baptist Church of Maynardville, 720 Main St., Maynardville, TN 37807 or to the Carr Cemetery Maintenance Association, 8124 Coppock Rd, Corryton, TN 37721 or to a favorite charity. Arrangements are by Ailor Mortuary, Maynardville, TN.