Sharon Ann Harper Wade

Sharon Ann Harper Wade

Sharon, 80, passed away on Wednesday August 9th, surrounded by family after a very brief illness, peacefully and pain free.

Sharon was born into a loving family on January 15, 1943 in Detroit, Michigan. Shortly thereafter the family returned to Tennessee and settled in Cleveland. During her childhood she could be found working around her father’s gasoline station, Harpo’s Esso, in the Tasso community. She attended Arnold Elementary, Charleston School and ‘The Old Bradley Central High School’ where Mrs. Clemmer always had her eye on Sharon. Years later she joined a traveling carnival where she toured throughout the U.S. and Canada riding go-carts and motorcycles on the Wall of Death. Sharon later returned to Cleveland once again and met her future husband, Joe. She knew he was the one after he pulled over and rescued a baby skunk, at her urging, and made Pepe’ a family pet. That was the beginning of their long list of fur babies and various other animals. She worked at Mallory Battery, Duplan Corp, Cleveland Plywood and others and at the age of 40 went back to school, obtained a degree and started her own business with Bridgette Hall Slack. Later she worked as a nail specialist until her retirement. In addition to all of her hobbies, she still found time to foster a large loving family, alongside Joe. Sharon and Joe enjoyed many years of well deserved retirement and along the way traveled extensively to places like Norway, Hawaii and Peoria, IL. She water skied at Cypress Gardens, rode motorcycles at Myrtle Beach and Daytona Bike Weeks, barrel raced her horses in local rodeos, bungee jumped on her 50th birthday, not to mention the time she got a ticket for drag racing from Cleveland’s finest! She also loved working in her yard, loving on her dogs and bragging about her large family, including her father’s 21 brothers and sisters! Some of her favorite memories were spending many years on the Hiwassee River at Rattlesnake Point entertaining friends and visitors where everyone was welcome.

She was preceded in death by her parents John Russell “Harpo” Harper of Reliance, TN and Doris Ross Harper of Murray, Ky. Her husband Joseph C Wade, sisters Sheila R Mathews, Tamara Lamon, foster son Charles “Chuck” Craig and her favorite fur babies Smokey, Sushi, Willie and Wonka.

She is survived by her son Russell “Rusty” Rymer, daughter Rebecca “Bekki” Wade. Grandchildren Racheal Rymer Swigert (Bobby), Russell “Dusty” Rymer (Heather), Brittany and Wade Samples and great-grand children Layla and Landon Swigert as well as her remaining four-legged-children Wendy, Pippa and Fudge.

The family would like to thank Bradley County EMS and the staffs of Tennova ER and MICU, Erlanger CVICU as well as Drs Aird, Jaggers, Guerra and Shears for making her last few days comfortable.

The family will honor Sharon’s request with no public viewing however family and friends are invited to join them at Pokey’ Music Hall & Eatery on Friday, August 18th, 12:30-2:00pm to visit and enjoy some of her favorite Pokey’s BBQ. She will be interred at the Chattanooga National Cemetery alongside her husband Joe with a private family service. The family requests any honorariums be made to Tunnels 2 Towers (T2T.org) or the Trousdale School (Trousdaleschool.org)

You are encouraged to share a memory of Sharon and/or your personal condolences with her family by visiting her memorial webpage and guestbook at www.companionfunerals.com. Companion Funeral Home of Cleveland is honored to assist the family with these arrangements.