Linus ‘Lin’ Emanuel Sharp
Linus “Lin” Emanuel Sharp, 84, died at Valley View Rest Home on Dec. 31, 2025. He was born on Nov. 30, 1941, to Jesse D. and Amelia (Peachey) Sharp, the fifth of seven children.
Born on the Bratton Farm at Alexander Springs, Belleville, Pa., he spent most of his childhood on the Rudy Yoder farm, now owned by J. Irvin Zook, at the edge of Belleville.
In 1948, the family moved to the Ore Bank farm on Front Mountain Road, Belleville, the ancestral Zook-Kanagy, Detweiler-Sharp farm. Lin attended Belleville Mennonite School, built on Ore Bank farmland, and graduated in 1962. Meanwhile, he courted classmate Darlis “Dot” Kanagy in his red and white 1957 Chevy convertible. They married in 1963.
After a career in innovative farming, Linus and Darlis lived in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., for eight years where he attended the Christian International Ministry training school and later worked for the ministry. When they returned, they moved to Mountain Top Road, Belleville, where they lived until 2016. Their current home is a cottage at the Valley View Retirement Community. In retirement, he worked at Paul B’s and Sharp Shopper, both in Belleville. In recent years, biking replaced horse training and riding as a hobby.
Lin was involved in many ways in congregations of the valley: Woodland/Mountain View and Rockville.
Linus is survived by his wife, Darlis, and three children: Jennifer (and Preston) Yoder, Kevin (and Karla Wyland) Sharp, of Belleville, and Steven (and Marsha Wyland) Sharp, of Allensville; nine grandchildren: Clinton (and Heather Peachey) Yoder, on the home farm; Sean (and Ellen Matis) Yoder, of Bellefonte, Devin (and Katherine Ray) Sharp, of Escondido, Calif., Derek of Thompsontown, Destiny (Christian) Ramos, of Port Angeles, Wash., Christian and Travis Sharp, of Belleville, and Katelyn and Hannah Sharp, of Allensville; six great-grandchildren: Marcus and Madyson Yoder, Azalea and Stella Yoder and Isabella and Jeremiah Ramos.
He was preceded by his parents, Jessie and Amelia Sharp; his brother Roy; sister Sally (Sharp) Mullet; brother-in-law Colonel Edwards and sister-in-law Deliah (Miller) Sharp.
He is survived by his siblings: brothers Urie Sharp, of Hasley, Ore.; David Sharp, of Belleville; John Sharp, of Hesston Kan.; sister Alta (Sharp) Smith, of Independence Kan.; sister-in-law Janet (Keen) Sharp, of Casa Grande, Ariz.; and brother-in-law Mel Mullet, of Sarasota, Fla.
Burial will be private and at the convenience of the family. A memorial service will be announced at a later date.