Dea Sharp Jr.

Dea Sharp "Junior," age 80, of Cleveland, Tennessee, passed away peacefully with his family by his side on January 30, 2026, leaving behind a lifetime of stories, laughter, and a legacy of hard work and pride.

Junior was preceded in death by his parents, Dea O. and Mary Emily Sharp; his beloved wife of 40 years, Shirley "Tiny" Sharp; and his sister, Clara Belle Golden.

He leaves behind five brothers and four sisters; his children, Dea Sharp (Melissa), Randy Sharp, Missy Brown (Sammy), and Don Morrow; his grandchildren, April Griffey (Chris), Cody Brown, Brandon Sharp (Brooklyn Ingram), Zach Sharp, Kyle Sharp, Quinn Sharp, Paige Renfrow, Brendan Renfrow (Kylee), Kelsey Hamrick (Tyrus), Ethan Renfrow, Don Morrow, Dustin Morrow, Tyler Morrow, and Ashton Morrow; and eight great-grandchildren.

Junior was a man who knew the value of a job well done. For 57 years, he proudly served as the Head of Maintenance at the Holiday Inn, a role he wore like a badge of honor.

If something was broken, Junior fixed it-and fixed it right. That same pride showed at home, where he was known for keeping a prestigious yard and quite possibly the cleanest gutters in all of Bradley County.

He found joy in the simple, good things in life: fishing, classic cars, a good meal with his family at Cracker Barrel or Couch's BBQ, and a scalding-hot cup of Folgers coffee-the hotter, the better. Junior loved to laugh, loved to tease, and loved to be surrounded by the people who mattered most to him.

Above all else, Junior will be remembered as a joyful, happy, and funny man who worked hard, loved deeply, and lived fully.

A celebration of life service will be held on Monday, February 2, 2026 at 6:00 pm at Companion Funeral Home - The Cleveland Chapel with Reverend Guinn Green officiating. The family will be receiving friends from 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm prior to the service.

A Graveside service will be held on Tuesday, February 3, 2026 at 11:00 am at Hilcrest Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of lowers, the family asks that donations be made to Shriners Hospitals for Children.

You are invited to share a personal memory of Junior or your condolences with his family at his online memorial located at www.companionfunerals.com. Companion Funeral Home of Cleveland and the Cody family are honored to assist the family with these arrangements.