Joan Sharp's Obituary
Joan Sharp was beautiful in every way. She had a million-dollar smile, a brilliant mind, and a kind heart. She was charming, fearless, funny, happy, curious, generous, high- spirited, sweet and spicy, and a true optimist. Joan was a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother (the best), grandmother, friend and neighbor.
Joan was born on November 21, 1928 in Hartford, Connecticut. She moved to Los Angeles in the 1950’s and was taken by its beauty and exciting energy. She loved living in California, but she never lost her New England classic style and dialect.
Joan met her true love, her husband Harold, while working as an accountant at a CPA firm in Beverly Hills. They were married for 63 years. They adored each other and loved being together. They shared many adventures camping with their kids and traveling the world.
Joan had many passions. She loved raising and educating her children and spending time with her family and dogs. She loved solving problems (chess, crosswords, sudoku, Tetris). Joan was an avid sports fan, and would often be found watching basketball, football, and tennis on television, rooting loudly for her favorite team/player or whoever was the underdog. She was an animal and nature lover. She enjoyed being outdoors and observing sea-life and animals and birds in the wild (she loved loved being in the national parks in the southern countries of Africa!). One of Joan’s greatest passions was hosting family, friends, friends-of-friends, and students studying English. She was a wonderful conversationalist. She loved getting to know others and sharing experiences and ideas. Many joked that Joan never turned off her home’s “vacancy” sign. Her guest bedroom was rarely empty.
Joan passed away peacefully on June 22, 2022. She is predeceased by her husband Harold, parents, Harry and Nellie Katzel, and sisters, Lorraine Perlis and Phyllis Katzel. She is survived by her children, Kary (Bill), Richard, Denise (Joseph), Lisa (Kevin), sister-in-law, Elaine, and grandchildren Taylor and Benjamin. She is also survived by many nephews, nieces and cousins.
The Sharp family would like to give a special thanks to Aurora “Lala” Garcia for providing Joan wonderful care and love in the past two years. Joan was hopeful that people would be kinder to one another, and that every person in the world would be given dignity and opportunities to thrive. She believed that we are all stewards of the natural world. In lieu of flowers, Joan would be thrilled for a donation to a charity which supports a better world for people, animals and the environment. She will be missed dearly by all who knew her.
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