John Thomas Sharkey, Sr.

John Thomas Sharkey, Sr. passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in Cumming on Wednesday June 28, 2017, at the age of 86. He was the beloved husband of Jeannine Sharkey of Chicago, Illinois. They were married in Illinois on August 12, 1949 and spent 68 wonderful years together. John was born in Homewood, Illinois on March 13, 1931, the son of the late Patrick and Maria Sharkey of Homewood, Illinois.

John is lovingly remembered by his wife Jeannine; daughter Karen M. Wenk and her husband Ron; son John T. Sharkey, Jr., and his wife Barbara; daughter Julie L. Johnson and her husband Darrell; 9 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.

John was a generous, dedicated and hard-working man. In 1940, at the age of 9, he started working to help support his family. He worked as a caddy at a local country club where his father was a golf instructor. John grew up an avid golfer. In 1947, at the age of 16, he started an apprenticeship with the Illinois Central Railroad. In 1956, at the age of 25, he started working in the manufacturing industry as a machinist and there he found his niche. John went on to obtain an Associates of Engineering degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology. Over the next 20 years John excelled at his work and became a successful businessman. His work took him and his family from Illinois to Michigan and finally to Georgia. In 1974, at the age of 43, John started his own business, World Wide Extrusion Co., Inc. and spent the next 30 years building his legacy. The company transitioned to a sheet metal manufacturer and is now World Wide Manufacturing Co., Inc. in Dawsonville, Georgia. In 1980 John moved his family one last time to Lake Lanier where he spent his free time boating, bird watching and loving his family.

A celebration of his life will be held from 1:00 PM 4:00 PM on July 28, 2017 at Lake Lanier Islands PineIsle Center.

In lieu of flowers the family would be honored by donations made in Johns name to his favorite charity, St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital.

Ingram Funeral Home Crematory, Cumming, Georgia is in charge of arrangements.