William E. Sharp

William E. Sharp, 79, a resident of Davenport, Iowa passed away on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 at the Iowa Masonic Health Facility in Bettendorf, Iowa following a long & brave battle with cancer.
His funeral service will be held at 10:30 A.M. Saturday, October 15, 2005 at the McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Chapel, Bettendorf. Burial will be in Davenport Memorial Park where military honors will be accorded. Visitation will be from 4:30 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. Friday at the funeral home where a Masonic service will be conducted at 7:30 P.M. Contributions in Bill’s memory may be made to the Genesis Hospice House of Davenport
He was born March 24, 1926 in Chicago, Illinois, the son of William A. & Nina (Hosford) Sharp and was a graduate of Moline High School.
Bill was a U.S. Navy veteran serving aboard the U.S.S. LSM 125, known as the “Buck & A-Half” in the South Pacific. Upon his honorable discharge in May of 1946, he was awarded the American Area Ribbon, the Asiatic-Pacific Area Ribbon and the World War II Victory Ribbon.
On May 24, 1953, he was united in marriage to Venita E. Thomsen at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Davenport.
He was employed as a Journeyman Powerhouse Mechanic for the Iowa-Illinois Gas & Electric Company, retiring in 1988 after 32 years of faithful service.
Bill was a member & past-master of the Hamilton Masonic Lodge #664 of Bettendorf, an honorary past-master of Moline Masonic Lodge #1014, a member of Scottish Rite of the Moline Consistory, a member of Kaaba Shrine of Davenport and a member & past worthy patron of the Bettendorf Order of the Eastern Star. In addition, he was a member of the Davenport American Legion Post 26, a member of the National Rifle Association, a life-member of the Moline Elks Lodge and a member of the Knights of Pythias Lodge #477 of Milan, Illinois. Bill was also a past Sea Scout Captain and past Boy Scout Commissioner where he was the honored recipient of the Order of the Arrow and was also a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church of Davenport.
He was a tireless volunteer and was willing to help wherever help was needed. In 1990, Hamilton Lodge named him as the “Mason of the Year”. He was a faithful volunteer at the Iowa Masonic Health Facility for 15 years helping with ceramics and was honored in 2002 as the “Volunteer of the Year.”
Those left to honor his memory include his beloved wife, Venita; his brothers & sisters-in-law, Harold & Dorothy Sharp of Albany, Illinois and Alfred & Juanita Sharp of Moline; and several nieces & nephews.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Don; and by his parents.