LOWELL—James F. Sharkey, 80 years old, died Friday November 29th at Saints Memorial Medical Center. He was the husband of the late Gladys (Gwiazda) Sharkey.
He was born in the Grove section Lowell, on April 18, 1922, a son of the late Police Captain Charles S. and Helen (Freeman) Sharkey. He was raised in the Sacred Heart Parish and graduated from Sacred Heart Grammar School and Lowell High School, Class of 1940. He resided his adult life in the Belvidere section of Lowell.
Mr. Sharkey was a World War II U.S. Navy Veteran and began service at the Philadelphia Naval Hospital. He then served with the Sixth Marine Division, C Company, 22nd Regiment as a corpsman. During the last 18 months of the war he served on Guadalcanal and Guam and saw combat during the invasion of Okinawa beginning April 1, 1945. His regiment received the Presidential Unit Citation for the Battle of Naha.
He had been employed in the billing department of the Courier Citizen Corporation for over thirty five years, until his retirement. His life was devoted to his family and he enjoyed regular walks by the Merrimack River with his good friend Billy Donovan. He recently returned home from a trip to his family home in Ireland.
He is survived by six children and their spouses: Stephen C. and Beatrice Sharkey, of Riverside, RI; James F. and Diane Sharkey, Jr., of Doylestown, PA; Thomas J and Suzanna Sharkey, of Edgartown; Susan and Brian Dussault, of Lowell; Kevin J. Sharkey, of Lowell; Rosemarie and Peter Melanson, of Bennington, NH; eight grandchildren and one great grandchild; brothers and sisters: Joseph Sharkey, of Kennebunkport, ME; Ruth Greeley, of Montoursville, PA; Charles S. Sharkey, Jr., of Lowell; Sister Gladys Sharkey, OSF, of St. Petersburg, FL; and Marie Sharkey, of Berlin, NY.
He was the brother of the late Helen Charron and Leo Sharkey.
At his request, calling hours will be private. His Funeral Mass will be offered Monday, December 2nd, at 10 AM at the HOLY TRINITY POLISH CHURCH, High Street, Lowell, to which relatives and friends are invited. Burial in St. Patrick Cemetery, Lowell.