Virginia Sharp's Obituary
Mary Virginia Harding Sharp, age 85, of Fayetteville died Friday April 22, 2011 in Springdale. She was born Sept 17, 1924, to Ruth Parker Lawrence Harding and Rufus Chester Harding in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, while her father was serving as a civil engineer with the U. S. Navy.
She attended the Univ. of Washington in Seattle, Washington while her father served at Pearl Harbor during World War II. She majored in architecture and was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority. She later worked for General Electric in Little Rock as a kitchen planner. When her parents retired and moved to Fayetteville she joined her father in buying and renovating homes in Fayetteville.
She was a skilled geneaologist and had an extensive national correspondence with others in the field. Her files are now among the Seventh Day Adventists records. She recently donated her extensive library of national state and county record books to the Public Library in Fayetteville.
She was a direct descendant of Elder William Brewster, the leader of the pilgrims who came to America on the Mayflower and belonged to the Society of Mayflower Descendants and several other genealogical organizations, including the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Colonists.
She was also a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Fayetteville.
Her husband of more than 20 years William B. Sharp, died in 2001. Her only sibling, Robert Laurence Harding died earlier this year.
She is survived by her nephews Charles Harding of Houston, Texas, William Harding of Manhattan Beach, California, Richard Harding of McLean, Virginia and Edward Harding of San Antonio, Texas, their wives and children. She is further survived by cousins David Newburn, Little Rock, Arkansas; Sherie Harding of Park City, Utah and Charlene Cumberland of Lusby, Maryland and their families.
Graveside service will be 11:00 AM Friday April 29, 2011 at Evergreen Cemetery in Fayetteville under the direction of Moore’s Chapel in Fayetteville.
Memorial contributions may be made to
Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church
224 N. East Street
Fayetteville, AR 72701
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