Longtime horseman Robert John Sharkey passed away on Friday, December 26, 2014 at Florida Hospital Fish Memorial in Orange City, Fla.
Born on March 15, 1954 in Bayonne, NJ, he was 60.
Graveside services with military honors will take place at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 30, 2014 at the Florida National Cemetery, 6502 Southwest 102nd Avenue, Bushnell, Fla.
Arrangements are by the Allen-Summerhill Funeral Home (www.allensummerhillfuneralhome.com), 126 East New York Avenue, De Land, Fla.
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 honoured 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.”
Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Robert Sharkey.
(SBOANJ)