Vernon Lee Sharp, Sr.

Vernon Lee Sharp, Sr., 83, of Candler, died Wednesday, December 3, 2014. A native of Buncombe Co., he was a son of the late Ralph and Ora O'Kelley Sharp. He was also preceded in death by a son, Ralph William Sharp, and by brothers Virgil and Ben Sharp. Mr. Sharp was a 1949 graduate of Candler High School. He was a Veteran of the U.S. Air Force, and was the Southeastern Regional Lumber Buyer for the Ethan Allen Furniture Co. Mr. Sharp is survived by his wife of sixty years, Barbara Thweatt Sharp; daughters, Jennie Edwards, Leslie Warren and husband Vaughn, Brenda McCarson and husband Roddy, and Celeste "Doshey" McKinney and husband Rocky; sons, Keith Michael Sharp, Vernon Lee Sharp, Jr., and fiancee Roseanna, and Bradley Sharp and wife Sheila; sixteen grandchildren; nineteen great-grandchildren; one great-great grandchild; and brother Van Sharp. Graveside services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday at the Sharp O'Kelley Cemetery at Stoney Fork Missionary Baptist Church on Black Oak Cove Rd., in Candler. The Rev. Jeff Matthews officiating. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Friday at Groce Funeral Home, Patton Ave, and at other times will be at the residence. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Veteran's Community Assisted Living, c/o VA Hospice, 1100 Tunnel Rd., Asheville, NC 28801, or to the American Cancer Society, 120 Executive Park, Bldg 1, Asheville, NC 28806.