My Descending from Gov. - D. A. Sharpe

Register Report for William Bradford
Generation 9
and built some good bridges. He later ran for Congress and was elected in 2012 from the
newly created Texas Congressional District #33.
The reader should understand that I feel awkward detailing all of these events and
happenings in my life. It would seem that bragging is a nomenclature for it all, but I hope
and trust it would not be taken that way. As you probably can detect, family heritage is
important in my mind to pass on to other generations, and this detail is a way that I can
capture some of the fun and excitement of those things with which God has blessed our
lives so that our grandchildren, our great grand children and others can see. At this writing,
Suzanne and I have 24 great nieces and nephews and four grandchildren. and one great,
great nephew, Benjamin Reeves.
It has been my commitment to strive to be a Christian man doing significant things in my
worship and church life, as well as in the community around, even in the secular community.
I advocate commitment of time, talents and money in our relationship with Jesus Christ.
This means to invest in the corporate life of the church, to invest in private devotion and
spiritual development time, and this means to invest a tithe and more of our income into
God's Kingdom and in His call on our lives.
As I embark upon the time of retirement, I look upon it as a mere change of careers. A
really nice entry, including a tuxedo-clad photographic portrait, was listed in the September/
October 2004 issue of "The Alcalde," the alumni publication of the University of Texas,page
97:
"Dwight Albert Sharpe, BBA '62, Life Member, Aurora, plans to retireNovember 1 from his
position as executive administrator for the senior pastor of the Highland Park Presbyterian
Church of Dallas. Sharpe has served several positions at the church for 22 years. As a
fifth-generation Texan (great-grandfather Felix Benedict Dixon was a citizen of the Republic
of Texas in San Augustine County in 1841) and a proud parent of children who are thirdgeneration
graduates of The University of Texas. Sharpe says he is blessed to be a Texas
Ex Life Member. He looks forward to retirement so he can write and participate more in
politics."
My membership in the Life Member rooster for the Ex-Students'Association of The University
of Texas is # 742 out of over 55,000 in 2011. I joined in 1963 when it began.
The staff of Highland Park Presbyterian Church hosted a retirement party for me, and it's
highlight was to present me with the certificate signed by Rick Perry, the Governor of Texas,
indicating my Commission as an Admiral in the Texas Navy. Carolyn Orlebeke, the
administrative assistant to the Senior Pastor, was an Admiral in her own right and had run
the process early on to encourage my State Senator, Presbyterian Elder Craig Estes of
Wichita Falls, Texas, to nominate me to the Governor.
Later, on January 21, 2006, Suzanne and I were present at the charter meeting of the
Admiral Chester W. Nimitz Squadron of the Texas Navy as it met in Dallas, Dallas County,
Texas to organize. It is an honor in Texas to have the moniker of being an Admiral in the
Texas Navy.
I expect to occupy myself with economically gainful pursuits as well as volunteer activities.
I'll probably show up more on political scenes. I even took a professional actor's course in
2003 about doing TV commercials! Ah, the call of the stage! It's ever so fun and ever so
sweet. Such a clown I am! Maybe I'll sell you some tooth paste on TV! I went back to
college for a course of American History, beginning at Weatherford College's satellite
campus in Decatur, Wise County, Texas. I estimate my age was enough to have been the
grandparent of about half of the class!
It is a blessing to be a part of five generations of Presbyterians,and part of over 1,400 years
of Christian heritage in our ancestry. However, it cannot be said that it is "unbroken"
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