Submitted
by Carol Hodes for the SBOANJ
MANALAPAN,
NJ – December 29, 2014 – Sad news to report that longtime horseman Robert John
Sharkey passed away on Friday, December 26, 2014 at Florida Hospital Fish
Memorial in Orange City, FL.
Born
on March 15, 1954 in Bayonne, NJ, he was 60.
Graveside
services with military honors will take place at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, December
30, 2014 at the Florida National Cemetery, 6502 Southwest 102nd
Avenue, Bushnell, FL.
Arrangements
are by the Allen-Summerhill Funeral Home, 126 East New York Avenue, De Land,
FL. www.allensummerhillfuneralhome.com
Sharkey,
which was the only name most people knew him by, was in the horse
transportation and other horse-related occupations, working for trainers in New
Jersey and New York for many years.
“He
was always there to help,” said trainer Mark Ford. “This is a tremendous
loss to the Meadowlands and Yonkers horse community.”
In
2007, Sharkey was honored with the Stanley Dancer Media Award from the New
Jersey Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association. The
Dancer Award salutes an individual for their efforts on behalf of harness
racing and their cooperation with the media.
At
the time of the presentation, NJ-USHWA President Moira Fanning said: “He is
dedicated, responsible and absolutely reliable. Whenever someone needs a
horse to train a legislator or media person for an exhibition race or any other
media event, Bob Sharkey can be counted on to come through. Sharkey is an
absolute jewel, whose patience with newbies and inexperienced media people has
made more converts to the sport of harness racing than can be counted.”
