Lynne Sharp

November 7, 1961 - November 20, 2017

Vivian Lynne Apple Sharp, 56, of Stigler passed away Monday, November 20, 2017 in Stigler, surrounded by family & friends. She was born on November 7, 1961 at Whiteman Air Force Base, MO. to William Robert & Lou (Albert) Apple. As a member of the United States Army, Lynne’s stepfather’s job required several cross country moves while she was in school. She attended high school in Lawton, OK., lived on base at Fort Lewis, WA. for a time, & graduated at Rattan High School in the Class of 1980. Following high school, Lynne attended Southeastern State University in Durant where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology & continued her education there & earned a Master of Behavioral Studies in Counseling/Psychology in August of 1984. She started her life’s career of working with youth by going to work with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, in the Child Welfare & Day Care Licensing Division. Lynne married Tommy Joe Shimp on September 26, 1987. She & her family moved to Memphis, TN. ,in 1991, where she held a job as the Director for an adoption agency for several years before returning to OK. in 1993. Lynne entered the field of education as a school counselor in 1995 when she worked part time at Bokoshe Public Schools, before transferring to McCurtain Public schools in 1999. Lynne began working for Kiamichi Technology Centers at the McAlester campus in 2006, & transferred to the Stigler campus in September of that year, where she retired in 2017. Lynne loved her students & the work she did with them. She gained much satisfaction in helping her students plan & prepare for their careers. Along the way she & Tommy had five children. Some of Lynne’s favorite memories were of watching her children play sports in school, & felt blessed to see them all become followers of the Lord, Jesus Christ. To her children, she wants you to know that she loves each of you more deeply than can be expressed in words, & has always been so thankful God selected her to be your mother. She remembers the first time she held each of you, & it was magical. Lynne was so proud of her grandchildren once they started arriving. Lynne also enjoyed reading, music of all kinds & curling up in a recliner with a cat on her lap. Lynne would be the first to admit that her faith in Christ as her Savior is what gave her hope for the future. She believed God knows the beginning & the end & everything in between. Throughout this journey, her faith, her family & friends have given her strength & hope every day. Lynne is joyful today to be reunited with loved ones, including two babies that died before birth. Please don’t mourn her passing, but rather celebrate with her as she is in the presence of Jesus Christ, her Savior, and the Eternal, Loving Father . She is feeling no pain or sadness, but rather is rejoicing in the beauty that surrounds her. Lynne is survived by her husband David Sharp ; her children, Houston & Alisha Shimp, Rebekah Shimp , Hannah & Shane Rogers, Logan Shimp, & Rachel Shimp; her 4 grandchildren, Janslee Talyn, Houston Jr, Piper Elizabeth & Lillian Adelaide; her mother, Luceita Smith; her sister, Melani Black, her nephew, Allen Black, her stepbrother, Charles Russell Smith. Lynne is preceded in death by her father, William Robert Apple; her stepfather, William Elbert Smith; her maternal grandparents, Francis & Lena Hansmeyer, Walter & Ruth Albert; paternal grandparents, William & Mildred Apple. Funeral Services will be held 10:00 A.M. Friday, November 24, 2017 at Stigler First Baptist Church with Reverend Gene Murry officiating. Pallbearers include John Henry Parsons, Allen Black, Alton Allred, Mark Cates, Houston Shimp, Logan Shimp. Burial will follow immediately to Stigler Cemetery under the direction of King & Shearwood Funeral Home of Stigler. Donations can be made in Memory of Lynne Sharp at the First Baptist Church, Christmas Shoe Box Project or to the Cancer Society.