CHARLOTTE ANN HACKNEY SHARPE

Charlotte Ann (Hackney) Sharpe, age 79 of Nashville, Tenn. and Haysi, passed away peacefully of natural causes at her Nashville residence December 22, 2020. Born in Dickenson County, she was the daughter of the late Howard and Lona Hackney. She had been a homemaker since 1987, following a successful career as assistant to the President of Brown-Forman Corporation and later, assistant to the Executive Director of Alpha Omicron Pi (ΑΟΠ) an international women’s fraternity founded January 2, 1897, at Barnard College on the campus of Columbia University in New York.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brothers, Everett Hackney & Themis Hackney; brother’s-in-law, Richard Yates and John Sexton and sister-in-law, Hazel Hackney.

Survivors include her loving husband of 40 years, John Michael Sharpe of Nashville, Tenn.; her brothers, Cledith Hackney, Claude Hackney, Jackie Hackney (Barbara) and Avery Hackney (Denise), all of Birchleaf and sisters, Mona Yates of Jacksonville, Fl., Marie Sexton of Grundy, Cathy Boyd (Ervin) of Birchleaf and Becky Barton (Darrell) of Clinchco.

Charlotte was ambitious, intelligent and fearless, even as a child. She was raised on Hackney Ridge and during her school years there were no school buses that ran on the mountain, so she had to walk to school, year-round. That was 3 miles down the steep mountain and three miles back up, daily. Regardless of the weather, she never missed a day. A reporter did a story on the feat and said she had walked more than 5,400 miles to school and back, the equivalent of walking from the East Coast to the West Coast and back. Upon graduation, Charlotte even received a special award for accomplishing 12 years of perfect attendance, in spite of the many obstacles she encountered along the way.
After graduating from Haysi High School in 1960, she left home to attend Hiwassee College in Madisonville Tenn. and Peabody College for Teachers in Nashville, (now part of Vanderbilt University) graduating with a major in Biology and a teaching degree.

Charlotte was always so dearly and deeply loved by her immediate family, but also by her extended family and countless friends from coast to coast.

It was Charlotte’s wish to be cremated, so no public service will be held at this time, but location and time for a Celebration of Life will be announced at a later date.

In addition to her many other accomplishments, Charlotte was a 22-year cancer survivor and a dedicated supporter of the work being done by the American Cancer Society.

To make a donation to the American Cancer Society in Charlotte’s memory, just dial 1-800-227-2345, Option 2. We know how pleased and proud she would be.

The American Cancer Society will send a card of acknowledgment of your donation to anyone you choose, just have their name and address handy when you call.