William R. Sharpe, Jr.

Who was William R. Sharpe, Jr.?

William R. "Bill" Sharpe Jr. was a Democratic member of the West Virginia Senate, representing the 12th District. He was first elected in 1960 and served until 1980. From 1972 until 1980 he served as Majority Whip. He was elected again in 1984 and in 1990 was appointed Senate President Pro Tempore. Sharpe currently holds the distinction of being the longest serving State Senator in West Virginia history, serving a career of over 44 years. What Robert C. Byrd was to the United States Senate, Sharpe was to the West Virginia Senate.

In 1994, West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources opened a new 150 bed acute care psychiatric facility to replace the old Weston State Hospital. The new facility was named William R. Sharpe, Jr. Hospital. In 2000 a new Civil Air Patrol facility was built at Charleston's Yeager Airport and it too was named in Sharpe's honor.

In January 2007, Sharpe underwent a 10-hour surgery to treat what doctors called a giant aneurysm. In 2008, Sharpe opted not to seek another term as State Senator. His term expired at the end of December 2008. Sharpe died February 16, 2009.