Life Story

Elly Peet Sharpe passed away peacefully in her sleep on July 4, 2024. She was 91.

Elly was born on January 7, 1933, in East Orange, NJ. She spent her formative years in Mendham, NJ attending the Gill School (now Gill St. Bernard’s). She exceled in both academics and athletics (her great loves were baseball, tennis, and field hockey). She went on to McGill University and majored in Political Science.

Upon graduation, she headed to New York City and landed her first job in the Correspondence Department at McGraw Hill’s Book Department. She also worked at Look Magazine, Save the Children, and Lever Brothers.

She met her beloved husband of 54 years, Eddie Sharpe, on a blind date. They had two children. After her son was born with cerebral palsy, she devoted her life to disability advocacy. She worked at United Cerebral Palsy Inc. in the Office of Family and Consumer Advocacy for 20+ years. She later worked for SKIP of NY. She was a tireless champion for children with disabilities and their families.

In 2016, she and her husband moved to Washington, DC to be close to their daughter and family.

Elly was preceded in death by her mother, Eleanor Innes Ferguson Peet, father Edwin Fullarton Peet, husband Eddie Sharpe, and half-brothers Donald Ferguson, Robert Ferguson, Jr., and Steve Peet. She is survived by her half-sisters Molly Peet (Richard Hargis), Sissy Walker (Derek), and Deborah Riplinger (Ken), half-brothers Stiles Peet (Barbara) and Jonathan Peet (Celia), daughter Sara Tobin (Tim), son Zack Sharpe, grandson Finley Tobin, and granddaughter Chase Tobin.

She was a beautiful soul and will be remembered for her warm and joyful personality, sweet smile, solving the Sunday NY Times crossword puzzles, rooting for the NY Mets, reading mysteries, playing tennis, and spoiling her grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to United Cerebral Palsy Inc.