Arnett R. Tharp (“Art”) died September 21, 2012, at home surrounded by family. He was born September 21, 1934, in Wainville, West Virginia, son of the late Harvey and Rosa Tharp. He graduated from Saint Leo University and served in the U.S. Navy for twenty years. He retired in August 1975, as a CWO3. He was a past president of the Virginia Life Underwriter’s Association, a financial advisor with Anderson & Strudwick, and the owner and operator of Valley Railroad Model Trains. He was a model railroad enthusiast, and a member of the Tidewater Model Railroad Club in Virginia Beach.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Vonda Friend Tharp; a son, Bruce Tharp and wife Randee of Oakland, MD; a daughter, Debbie Fisher and husband Dick, and a son, Dan Tharp and wife Cheryl of Powhatan, VA; and a daughter Kelley Lachance and husband Paul, of Waldorf, MD. He is also survived by twelve grandchildren, Taylor, Tess and Tanner Tharp, Charlie and Sam Fisher, Ryan, Katie, Lauren, Spencer and Lindsay Tharp, Chelsa and Joseph Lachance; and four step-grandchildren, Zach Fisher, Sally Fisher McClellan, Daniel and Casey Adams. He is also survived by a brother, Donald Tharp and wife, Connie, of Reedsville, WV, and a sister, Lenora Mehaulic and husband Tom, of Uniontown, PA. He was preceded in death by his brother Lenard Tharp and wife Theresa of Morgantown, WV.
Services will be held at Family Choice Funerals & Cremations, 5401 Indian River Road in Virginia Beach. The family will receive visitors at 11 a.m. on Monday, September 24, followed by a funeral service at 1 p.m. A graveside service will be held Wednesday, September 26, at Sand Spring Cemetery in Friendsville, MD. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society at: http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?fr_id=53087&pg=personal&px=6472067.
The family is especially grateful for the wonderful care provided by Heartland Hospice and the many friends who have been so supportive during his illness.
Online condolences may be made via the Online Guestbook.
Thank you, Mr. Tharp, for your service to our country.
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I will always remember Arnett’s face. He always smiled in my presence. I truly loved his soft laughter. He has touch my heart.
Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”
“Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” (Revelation 14:13 NIV)
Art was truly a man of Intrgrity, Honor of Country, and Unconditional Love. What a wonderful gift he gave to us– may we carry on his legacy!
I am very honored Art was a part of my life.
Art Tharp had a ready smile, an open and friendly heart, a gift of conversation and a giving nature with his time and his love for fellow man. We were privileged to know him for only seven years, not nearly long enough, but we feel blessed to have made his acquaintence.
Our Love & Prayers
My prayers are with you all. I will miss you Art. Thank you for being the inspiration to all of us.
Arnett was a great brother. He was kind and thoughtful. I always enjoyed being around him He had such an excellent memory and ability to describe. I will miss him.
We are so sorry for your loss!
You have are deepest sympathy.
He was such a great guy. You all were the greatest result of my mother’s union with Lenard.
Sorry I cannot attend. You will be missed Art.
Art was very special to me because he was a cancer survivor with me when I was fighting leukemia. He was a member of my Lauren’s Butterflies team and that makes me feel happy inside. He was a good man and he was always in our prayers. I will miss seeing him at BonBon’s house on Thanksgiving. I will miss him. Love, Lauren
My girls and I were blessed to have known Art through the union of his son, Dan and my sister, Cheryl. A kind and dear man whom we will miss dearly. A brave fight against a dreadful disease…and we promise to continue to fight in your honor.
Julie, Lauren and Caroline
We never know what God’s plan is once we enter this world. We are thankful that God’s plan was to have Art in our lives. He was a true blessing and he made this world a brighter place. He is now at peace and he will be missed. May God continue to bless and watch over Vonda and the family as they go through this difficult time.
Debbie – May you and your family be blessed during this very sad and difficult time. I am so sorry for your tremendous loss. Peace be with you now and always!
Dear Vonda and family,
Donna, Gretsel (Donna’s mother) and I offer our condolances in the loss of Arnett. Arnett meant a lot to us and was a wonderful individual. He will be sorely missed. Please accept our thoughts and please let me know if there is anything we can do for you.
Offering all our love,
Gary & Donna Viola and Gretsel Whitt
Vonda and family,
I was really sorry to hear about Art’s passing. I know it was much quicker than he anticipated, but in some ways that may have been a blessing and at least he had his loved ones with him. He will certainly be missed by all his friends in the train club. I won’t be able to make the services today, but my thoughts and prayers will be with you.
Chuck Davis
Norfolk
Dear Vonda, Dan and family, i am sorry for your loss. may God give you peace and help you find the strength to get through this terribly sad time. – vicki nyberg
Vonda: My sincere condolences go out to you and your family on the passing of Arnett. I will always remembering his welcoming smile and positive outlook on life. It was such a nice surprise to see you two at the family reunion last year. (I posted the photo to this site.) You and your family are in my prayers.
Kelley, I’m sorry about your dad, Your entire family is in my prayers, I’m so glad I got to meet him at Jonathan’s on that Sunday as he was passing through. I remember his story of going to see your brother, while all of you girls were together. He had a wonderful heart! God is good all the time.
So sorry for your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with the family.
We send our deepest thoughts and prayers for your family in this time of loss. May all the prayers, thoughts and wonderful memories help to ease your pain at this time.
My deepest condolences to the THARP families, especially to my student Tess and her brother Taylor. Please take care of yourselves in this time of your loss of your grandfather Arnett R. Tharp.
Sincerely, Prof. Ron Bertolina
Bruce, sorry to hear about your father. While death is a natural progression of life, it’s still difficult to lose a loved one. I don’t have any words of widsom, I just know how difficult it can be and wanted to extend my condolences.
Dear Dan and family,
I just heard about your loss, and I am so sorry. I am also sorry I could not make the services to see you. My dad passed away over 11 years ago, and hardly a day goes by that I do not think of him. God Bless You All.
Diane and I extend our deepest condolences to Art’s family. We are thankful to have been able to meet and know Art and will miss him as our neighbor and friend. All the best to Vonda and family.