Former Illinois lottery director, Elk Grove Twp. clerk, dies

Sharon Sharp, who parlayed hard work and service that started with the Elk Grove Township Republican party into a career as an international lottery expert, died Sunday. She was 69.

Mrs. Sharp served as director of the Illinois lottery from 1987 to 1991, then directed the California lottery for two years. Before she was through she had advised numerous other states - and even nations - on setting up an effective state lottery.

According to family lore, her political career started in the late 1960s, after a chance meeting with Donald Rumsfeld at O'Hare Airport. Mrs. Sharp and her two children were waiting for her husband, Donald, whose plane was delayed by a snowstorm, and Rumsfeld gave her $5 to buy the crying kids something to eat.

He refused her attempt to mail him the money, but Mrs. Sharp was determined. When she later saw he was speaking to the Elk Grove Township Republicans she went to the meeting to pay him back - and ended up volunteering.

The family lived in Arlington Heights, and Mrs. Sharp eventually became Elk Grove Township clerk.

She ran as the GOP candidate for Illinois Secretary of State in 1978, and lost to Alan Dixon. In the wake of her loss, then-Gov. James Thompson appointed her Special Assistant for Women.

In 1987 Thompson named Mrs. Sharp lottery director to replace Rebecca Paul Hargrove, who left to start the lottery in Florida. Hargrove now directs the Tennessee lottery.

Sharp added a second weekly game to the lottery and started the Cash 5, which became Little Lotto.

"A whole lot of us think she was their best friend, but I really was," said Hargrove.

They met in 1977 when Thompson appointed Hargrove to a panel on women that Mrs. Sharp chaired.

"She had complete control of the meeting and complete control of facts and details and figures," said Hargrove. "I was just amazed at what a great job she did."

Mrs. Sharp became known throughout the lottery industry for her marketing expertise and the great advertisements she produced, said Hargrove.

She advised South Africa, Russia, Virginia, New Mexico and Louisiana when they started lotteries.

At the time of her death from lung cancer she was a consultant for Scientific Games of Alpharetta, Ga., and previously worked with Public Gaming Research Institute.

Mrs. Sharp had known she had lung cancer for only about a month, said Christopher Sharp, her son, who lives in Colorado with his wife, Erin, and their two children.

Illustrating Mrs. Sharp's work ethic, someone on her California staff told Christopher Sharp that they broke into shifts - some coming in early and others leaving late - so people could be in the office the whole time Sharon Sharp was working.

"She was very bright and energetic and incredibly honest and loyal," he said.

Nanci L. Vanderweel, Elk Grove Township supervisor, said Mrs. Sharp was dedicated.

"She was feisty without being a fighter and ready to stand up for anything she thought was right," Vanderweel said.

"She was a very good worker with a very agile mind. Not only could she grasp a given situation, but she could think ahead of it."

Longtime Cook County Board member Carl Hansen of Mount Prospect, who also was Elk Grove Township GOP committeeman for 40 years, praised Mrs. Sharp's work as party committeewoman.

"She was enthusiastic about encouraging people to vote and participate in good citizenship," he said.

Sharon and Donald Sharp left Arlington Heights for Chicago in 1986. He died in 2006.

Survivors include her daughter, Laura Brackett, who lives in Lake in the Hills with her husband, Steve.

Services will be private, and donations can be sent to PAWS, 1110 W. 35th St., Chicago, IL 60609.