Celebrating Spence Sharp
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1958
Celebrating Spence Sharp
Spence Sharp and Kae Mattingly
September 2022
Today we celebrate a collector of many things including coins, Disney collectables, and Dept. 56 Houses. He met his wife on a blind date and also does a lot of cooking, because it relaxes him. Star Trek books are his favorite reading choices. This month we celebrate Spencer Sharp.
My parents, Lyman Spencer Sharp, Sr. and Geraldine Butcher grew up in Lockport, New York and graduated high school there. In November of 1950, Dad joined the Air Force and was stationed at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi Mississippi. On April 7, 1951, Mom and Dad were married in Biloxi, Mississippi. Mom went back to Lockport, New York while Dad was stationed at Shepherd’s Grove Air Force Base in Bury St. Edmunds, England. My sister, Lynn Kathleen (now married as Lynn Carter) was born on June 10, 1954, in Cambridge, England. At the end of November 1954, Mom and Dad returned to the Lockport, New York. Dad attended the University of Buffalo and took a summer job Bell Aircraft which turned into a full-time job and Mom returned to her job at the bank. On November 23, 1957, I was born, Lyman Spencer, Jr. in Lockport and later we moved to Rochester, Michigan where Dad worked for Chrysler.
After about one year in Michigan, we moved to Littleton, Colorado where we stayed until 1965. I attended kindergarten at Peabody and 1st grade in Littleton. I remember Dad liked fishing and we had the Rocky Mountains for vacations and travel. While there, we traveled to the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Grand Teton Mountains, Jackson Hole, and Four Corners. I mainly remember lots of snow, and being able to see the Rocky Mountains from our back yard. Dad worked at Martin Marietta until 1965. Then we moved to Huntsville, Alabama where Dad started working for Chrysler Space division. I attended Davis Elementary and West Mastin Lake until 6th grade. This is where my love of nature began. I would ride my bike and did a lot of hiking. I also did some horseback riding while in Alabama. My favorite teacher was Miss Pigfor who taught 4th grade.
In 1970, when I completed 6th grade, we moved to Kernersville, North Carolina. I attended Glenn Jr. High for 7th and 8th grade, Atkins High for 9th and 10th, and East Forsyth 11th and 12th. One favorite teacher was Mrs. Blake 9th and 10th Science and another favorite teacher was Mrs. Ross in the 12th grade for Advanced Biology. I was a member of the German Club, Science Club, Key Club, Drama Club, and Young Men's Christian Club, Basket Ball Manager at East Forsyth for two years and Lighting and Audio Director for the Drama Club and school. In 1973, I got my first job at Hardee's and continued to work there until I went off to college. My high schooI graduation took place in June of 1976.
From August 1976 to August 1981, I attended Appalachian State University where I studied biology and computers and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and a double minor in Computer Science and Management Information Systems. While attending Appalachian, I participated in the Westminster Fellowship Group, and the Baptist Union Group, where I sang in the choir. We traveled to different churches to sing.
After college I got a job as an Assistant Manager at Radio Shack in Durham, and later moved back to Greensboro to become the District Secretary for the area. After that, I got a job at Twin City Warehouses where I worked in accounting and computer operations for 14 years. On August 13, 1985, I met my wife on a blind date and proposed to Nancy four weeks later. We were married, on May 10, 1986, in Morganton, North Carolina. We adopted our son, Zack, in 1996, and he graduated from East Forsyth High School in 2003. Zack now lives in Winston-Salem where he works as a Project Manager for O'Brien Architecture. He is engaged to be in married in the future.
I also have three bonus brothers - Mike Southern, Colin Ward, and Paulo Correa. I met Mike at East Forsyth High School in chemistry class. We became great friends and we still are today.
I met Colin at Sears and Roebuck working in the Tele-catalog Services Department where we scheduled service calls. We became good friends and in 1994, Colin started working for me as an office manager and a home manager. He works upstairs in my home today.
I met Paulo online in a chat room. He’s from Brazil and wanted to learn English. During our time online working on his English, we discovered we were alike in many ways. I flew to Brazil to meet my new friend. There was a bad snowstorm, and I missed my international flight. When I arrived in Rio, I discovered my bags were still in Greensboro (no clothes, no meds). Another flight change put me on a domestic flight. My friend was waiting at the international airport, and I was landing at the domestic airport two hours away. When he arrived, we went shopping for clothes. Three days later, when I was preparing to leave, my luggage arrived. The second time I went to Brazil to visit Paulo, I stayed at his home. When someone is visiting a Brazilian family, and spends the night in their home, you become a part of their family. Paulo has visited North Carolina six times. August 31, 2022, will be my third trip to visit my bonus brother Brazil. Paulo has moved and now lives in Itapetininga, Brazil. Paulo and I chat almost every day.
Most of our vacations have been to Disney World, we are currently a part of the Disney Vacation Club, and have made three trips to Hawaii. Before meeting me, Nancy did some traveling to Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. We both love to travel.
Currently, I am a collector of Disney Collectables and Dept 56 Houses. Dept 56 is a U.S. manufacturer of holiday collectibles, ornaments, and giftware known for its lit Christmas Village Collections and Snowbabies Collections. Some these collectibles I'm proud to own are McDonalds and the Empire State Building. My favorite authors are Star Trek writers, and I like to read financial books as well. I also enjoy coin collecting and stock trading. For relaxation, I do a lot of cooking.
At around the age of 53, I retired from Wells Fargo after 14 years of service. After a couple of years, I decided to volunteer at the Piedmont Triad International Airport as an Ambassador, which I am now in my 8th year, and have earned my 7-year pin. I work in the information booth giving directions to places like the restrooms and baggage claim and assisting others with problems. We also give out coloring books and crayons for children. I work a 5½ hr. shift one day a week talking and helping out people.
After relocating to Kernersville, we started attending First Presbyterian Church in 1972. I have been an Elder on Session and served as Clerk of Session. Currently, I am Chairman of Stewardship/Finance Committee, Co-Chairman of Personnel Committee and Vice-Chairman of the Website Committee. I am also the Disbursing Treasurer and maintain the reporting and accounting records for the church. I was baptized in West Mastin Lake Methodist Church in Huntsville, Alabama where I came to know Christ around the age of 12. While attending a Billy Graham Concert, I accepted Christ into my life. It was one of the most powerful messages that changed my life.
I am most proud of how I have helped my friends and family to survive through the years. My steady rocks in my life have been my wife Nancy Sharp, my Brazilian brother Paulo Correa, my brother Mike Southern, and my brother Colin Ward. Without these four people I would not be where I am today.
SPENCE'S WORDS OF WISDOM.
Put family and Christ first in your life.
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2005 |
The Disney Clan(Paulo, Nancy, Spence Colin & Mike) - 2018 |
Frankie & Spence2021 |
