Donald Eugene “Gene” Sharp was born on August 20, 1941, in Paris, Texas, and departed this life on Sunday, April 19, 2015, in Paden, Oklahoma, at the age of 73.

Gene, the son of Lawrence and Johnnie Hayes Sharp, was a resident of Paden.

He graduated from Safford High School in Safford, Arizona with the class of 1959, and then earned his Associates Degree in Business from Santa Rosa Community College.

He proudly served his country in the United States Army.

He married Carolyn Gulley on November 21, 1969, in Santa Rosa, California.

He worked as a grain elevator operator for Shawnee Milling Company for over 20 years.

He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Paden. Gene and his wife hosted over 48 exchange students throughout his life.

Gene’s parents, two brothers, Chester and Sonny Sharp, in-laws, Cleo and Iola Gulley, and sister-in-law, Marilyn Gulley preceded him in death.

Survivors include his wife of 45 years, Carol Sharp of the home; daughter, Stacey Sharp of Paden; two grandchildren, Brooklynn and Denver Fipps of Prague; brother, Clifford Sharp of Santa Maria, California, sisters, Willie Ray of Casa Grande, Arizona and Dorothy Griffin of Napa, California, other family and friends.

The Sharp family will receive friends on Wednesday, April 22, 2015, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Parks Brothers Funeral Home in Prague.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, April 23, 2015, at 2:00 p.m. at Parks Brothers Funeral Chapel in Prague with Wayne Dempsey officiating.

Interment will follow at Prague Cemetery.

Services are under the direction of Parks Brothers Funeral Service in Prague.