Carmen Sharpe

Carmen Sharpe, 64, was born on May 23, 1962, in Ludwigsburg, West Germany and passed away on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Howard County, Maryland. She was the beloved daughter of the late SFC (Ret.) Robert L. Sharpe and Helen I. Sharpe of Petersburg, Virginia.

Carmen was a proud 1980 graduate of Petersburg High School and later attended Richard Bland College in Petersburg, Virginia. She was a dedicated educator who spent more than 20 years helping students strengthen their knowledge, develop their abilities, and grow academically. Through her work, Carmen made a meaningful difference in the lives of students and demonstrated her commitment to education and the success of others.

In addition to her parents, Carmen was preceded in death by her daughter, Kimberly Edmonds; her son, Julian “Sonny” Sharpe; her maternal and paternal grandparents; and her maternal and paternal aunts and uncles.

She leaves to cherish her memory her loving husband, Samuel Edmonds; her grandchildren, Jaylen R. Sharpe (Valarie), Jamico Peterson (Candice), and Autumn K. Sharpe (Porsche); her great-granddaughter, Nova Peterson; her stepdaughters, Erica Edmonds and Tiffany Edmonds; her sister, Tanya J. Smith (Keith); her godsons, Anthony Jones of Atlanta, Georgia, and Jonathan Baker of Newport News, Virginia; her distant sisters, Petra and Kimberly; her beloved dogs, Napoleon and Legend; a host of cousins; her coworkers and students at Lake Elkhorn Middle School; and the many family members and friends who loved her and whose lives she touched.

Above all, Carmen will be remembered as a mother whose love for her son endured beyond his passing and whose determination to seek justice never wavered. She fought for what she believed was right, even when the road was difficult. Her voice, her passion, and her courage were powerful expressions of a love that could not be silenced.

Carmen Sharpe lived boldly, loved fiercely, fed the people she loved, brought family together, defended the vulnerable, and fought for justice with the heart of a mother who would never stop standing up for her son. Carmen leaves a legacy of love, courage, compassion, and unwavering determination. Her legacy will live on in the lives she touched, the traditions she created, and the hearts of all who will forever remember her.

Services will be held 2:00 P.M., Saturday, October 24, 2026, in the Chapel of J. M. Wilkerson Funeral Establishment, Inc., 102 South Avenue, Petersburg, VA, Evangelist Sharon Baker, eulogist. The interment to follow at Wilkerson Memorial Cemetery.

J. M. Wilkerson Funeral Establishment, Inc., 102 South Avenue, Petersburg, VA, (804) 732-8911, www.jmwilkersonsince1874.com. Watch the funeral services live online on our J. M. Wilkerson Funeral Establishment, Inc. Facebook page.