Ruth Otto Sharp

November 14, 1924 - November 4, 2014

Ruth Sharp, a long-time resident of Zephyr Heights at Lake Tahoe, Nevada died at home in Reno November 4th, just 10 days short of her 90th birthday. She was born in Brooklyn, NY and lived in the New York City suburb of Crestwood until graduating from college in New York City with a teaching degree. At age 21 she traveled by train to Wells, Nevada to teach kindergarten. Soon after arriving she married Robert Sharp of Wells, and they spent nearly every day together for the next 67 years until his death in January 2014. Ruth was also preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Christine Otto of Carson City, and her sister Janet Otto Waring, of Ridgewood, New Jersey. She is survived by her 3 children: Roberta Gerber of Reno, Janet Silsby (Richard) of Amelia Court House, Virginia, and Gerald Sharp of Bethesda, Maryland, 7 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. Ruth and Bob Sharp both worked for the State of Nevada—her as one of Nevada’s first female computer programmers in the 1960’s and him as a surveyor, draftsman, and eventually head of highway design. They lived in Carson City until moving to Lake Tahoe in 1972, where they retired in 1977. In retirement they travelled to 46 countries and all 7 continents, including Antarctica and Australia. Ruth was also active in Carson City’s Eagles Fraternal Organization and the senior center at Zephyr Cove. She and her husband were members of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and patrolled Lake Tahoe in their boat, as well as teaching water safety and sailing courses. Ruth and Bob were devoted to their children and grandchildren and because they felt education was important, they helped finance their grandchildrens’ college educations. Their children and grandchildren will always be grateful and will remember and miss them.