William A. Sharkey

ALBANY William A. Sharkey, 84, died on Thursday, December 1, 2005. He was born in Kingston, N.Y. and was the son of the late George J. and Elizabeth Read Sharkey. William was predeceased by his adored wife, Kathleen Young Sharkey and his brother, George R. Sharkey. William and Kathleen were the parents of six children, Kathleen S. Ferranti (Robert) of New York City and Lord's Valley, Pa., Nancy S. Applebee (Peter) of Delmar, William R. Sharkey (Kathleen) of Guilderland, Patricia S. Kringas (Peter) of Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., Jean M. Sharkey of Albany and Mary Beth Sharkey and her fiance James Finan of Delmar. William is also survived by seven grandchildren, Peter S. Applebee, Brian W. Applebee (Jennifer), Ryan Sharkey, Meghan Sharkey, Maureen, Demetrios and Andrew Kringas; one great grandchild, Caitlin Elizabeth Applebee; and several nieces. William was the valedictorian of the Class of 1939 at Kingston High School. He was a government major and graduate of Union College of Schenectady, the graduate program of Union College of Schenectady and the graduate program in public administration at Syracuse University. His entire 40-year career was in the employment of various agencies of the New York State government, including the research department of taxation and finance, the program staff of Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller, the controller of the public works department, the assistant commissioner for management and finance of the department of transportation and the executive director of the dormitory authority of the State of New York. Having been reared in the Depression of the 1930s during the administration of President Roosevelt, William was devoted to a lifetime of service as a professional public administrator. For his service, he was honored as a fellow of the Public Administration Society. He served under the administrations of Governors Dewey, Harriman, Rockefeller, Wilson and Carey. William was a devoted family man and enjoyed traveling with his wife to Europe. He prided himself on completing the New York Times daily crossword puzzle. After graduating from college, William served in the U.S. Army during World War II. William was a member of the University Club, a board member both of the Visiting Nursing Association and the Alzheimer's Association and a communicant of St. Margaret Mary's Church. Relatives and friends may call at the Applebee Funeral Home, 403 Kenwood Avenue, Delmar on Monday, December 5 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, December 6 at St. Margaret Mary's Church, Albany. Internment will be in St. Agnes Cemetery, Menands. The Sharkey family would like to extend our thanks to the staff of the Twenty Mall Price Chopper who greeted our father warmly on his daily rounds to secure the ingredients of his nightly gourmet dinner. Memorial contributions in memory of William may be sent to the Teresian House Foundation, 200 Washington Avenue Ext., Albany, NY 12203.