“Foot to the floor till he met God or the checkered flag,” James Larry Sharpe, known as Larry or Grease Monkey, has taken the checkered flag and has won his race. He passed away, at age 71, after a brief illness at his home in Hiddenite, N.C., on April 5, 2026. Larry was born on August 24, 1954, in Iredell County to the late James Billy Sharpe and Norma Frances Mayberry Sharpe. Larry was a member of the Happy Trails Cowboy Church and worked as a heavy equipment mechanic. Grease Monkey loved racing on dirt tracks, working as part of the pit crew, and was an avid shooter and archer, winning several Bare-Bow competitions.

In addition to his parents, Larry was preceded in death by his stepson, Rhondle Scott Mays; and his step-grandson, Rhondle Eugene Mays II.

Larry is survived by his loving wife of 34 years, Barbara Sharpe of the home; his daughter Ginger Ann Sharpe Alexander and husband Melvin of Statesville; his stepson Mike Mays and wife Carla of Statesville; his stepdaughter Melisa Huffman of Newton; his brother William Gale Sharpe and wife Janice of Hiddenite; his five grandchildren Jasiah Sharpe, Chelsea Burke, Michelle Mays, Savannah Huffman, and Zoie Mays; his eight loving great-grandchildren; his special friends Jon Kerley and Roy Brown; and a host of other special friends who loved to get greasy and dirty with him.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Happy Trails Cowboy Church in Hiddenite on April 14, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. Pastor Don Martin and Pastor Mike Carr will be officiating, with special speakers including Jon Kerley, Roy Brown, and Matt Dillow. The family requests you come as you are, even if you have dirt on your boots.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Hospice & Palliative Care of Iredell County, 2347 Simonton Road, Statesville, NC 28625, Phone: 704-873-4719; or American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), 424 E. 92nd St, New York, NY 10128-6804, Phone: (212) 876-7700.

Chapman Funeral Home is proudly serving the Sharpe family.