Marilyn Field Sharp

Marilyn Field Sharp Marilyn Field Sharp, 62, an educator, died Friday, March 28, 2003. She is survived by her husband of 42 years, Lawrence J. Sharp. The service will be at 2 p.m. EST Monday at Episcopal Church of the Advent, 815 Piedmont Drive. Family will receive friends immediately following the service at the family residence. Memorial contributions may be made to Florida Alpha Delta Kappa for the Marilyn F. Sharp Textbook Fund, c/o Lottie Simms, P.O. Box 292278, Davie, FL 33329. Bevis Funeral Home (385-2193) is handling arrangements. Marilyn earned her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science degrees in elementary and reading education at Florida State University. She was the co-author of "Developing Cultural Literacy through the Writing Process." Additionally, she authored numerous articles and book reviews. Marilyn was a strong advocate for promoting literacy. She served as president of the Leon County Reading Council. At the state level, Marilyn was general conference chair for the 40th State Reading Conference last October in Orlando. She was also the Florida Reading Association's president-elect. Marilyn was very active in Alpha Delta Kappa. The FSU Scholarship House was her pet project and she served as the state ADK chairman for this. Marilyn has been recognized by many organizations for her devotion to literacy education and helping students. She was named Florida Elementary Reading Teacher of the Year in 2000 for her work at Oak Ridge Elementary, given the Leon County Schools Star Award in 2001 and awarded Alpha Delta Kappa's highest honor, the Honoris Causa Award, for her outstanding work and service at the ADK Scholarship House and in the organization. A recognition that she particularly enjoyed was written by a college student she taught in the 4th grade. He nominated her for Who's Who in American Teaching. This year, the Florida Reading Association has renamed one of its annual awards the Marilyn F. Sharp Classroom Action Research Award in her honor. Perhaps Marilyn's most significant personal legacy is that she shared her enthusiasm for life and books with her grandchildren, Brandon, Greer, Parker and Cobi. Brandon, the oldest, was able to attend conferences with her and meet the authors of the autographed books she brought him. She was proud that Cynthia Sharp Atkinson, her daughter, is instilling in preschoolers the joy of learning through her art classes at Temple Israel Preschool. She is survived by her daughter; her brother, Earle T. Field of Fort Pierce; her four grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.