Gerald Lee Sharp

Gerald Lee Sharp

Gerald Lee Sharp, aged 87, died June 17th in Sequim, WA.

Born in Virginia, he relocated with his family to Missouri and then to Fairbanks. A brief time in the Army led him to Juneau. He attended local government meetings and noting that the attorney was the most listened to person in the room, decided to pursue municipal law as a career. He and his young family moved to Seattle where he attended the University of Washington, graduating from Law School in 1973. He returned to Alaska where he worked as City and Borough Attorney in Juneau, then as Mat Su Borough Attorney and finally with the Anchorage office of Preston Gates. He specialized in municipal law and became a partner in 1990. Among municipal attorneys and clerks, he was considered by many to be the “father” of municipal law. When he moved to Palmer, he saw his first custom home built above Finger Lake. He retired from Preston in 2002 and moved to Sequim, WA in 2006 where he and his wife oversaw the building of their dream home and extensive gardens. He was a lifelong learner. Motorcycling, bicycling, camping, boating, cooking, gardening, kite making, dog training, he wanted to experience it all. After retirement he competed with cardigan corgis in agility and scent work. Passionate about woodworking, he built beautiful tables, dulcimers and turned many bowls, platters and other pieces, always experimenting. He was most proud of helping to establish the Strait Turners, a chapter of the AAW on the North Olympic Peninsula. Always willing to share his time, knowledge and energy with others, Lee was a true class act. He will be missed.

Predeceased by daughter, Tracy. Survived by loving wife, Karen and daughter, Lynn in Washington; sister, Gail; nieces, Laura and Cindy; and nephew Kurt in Alaska.