Gerald Lee Sharp

1933 - 2022

Gerald Lee Sharp, aged 87, died June 17th in Sequim, Wa.
Born in Virginia, he relocated with his family to Missouri and then to Fairbanks. A brief time in
the Army led him to Juneau. He attended local government meetings and noting that the
attorney was the most listened to person in the room, decided to pursue municipal law as a
career. He and his young family moved to Seattle where he attended the University of
Washington, graduating from Law School in 1973.
He returned to Alaska where he worked as City and Borough Attorney in Juneau, then as Mat
Su Borough Attorney and finally with the Anchorage office of Preston Gates. He specialized in
municipal law and became a partner in 1990. Among municipal attorneys and clerks he was
considered by many to be the "father" of municipal law.
When he moved to Palmer, he saw his first custom home built above Finger Lake. He retired
from Preston in 2002 and moved to Sequim, Wa. in 2006 where he and his wife oversaw the
building of their dream home and extensive gardens.
He was a lifelong learner. Motorcycling, bicycling, camping, boating, cooking, gardening, kite
making, dog training, he wanted to experience it all. After retirement he competed with cardigan
corgis in agility and scent work. Passionate about woodworking, he built beautiful tables,
dulcimers and turned many bowls, platters and other pieces, always experimenting. He was
most proud of helping to establish the Strait Turners, a chapter of the AAW on the North Olympic
Peninsula.
Always willing to share his time, knowledge and energy with others, Lee was a true class act.
He will be missed.
Predeceased by daughter, Tracy. Survived by loving wife Karen and daughter Lynn in
Washington, sister Gail, nieces Laura and Cindy, nephew Kurt in Alaska.