Obituaries

Obituary

Brother Greyling Vaness Sharper transitioned from this life early in the morning on November 20, 2023, with his family by his side.

Greyling was born on September 28, 1958, to the late Bishop Benjamin E. Sharper and Mamie Sharper in North Charleston, South Carolina. Greyling was educated in the Charleston County schools and graduated from St. Andrews Parish High School in 1978. He attended the University of South Carolina briefly before being employed at the Naval Shipyard and Dentyne Shipyard where he worked for decades. Never satisfied with working for anyone and always wanting to be somebody’s boss, Greyling launched his own business as a painter contractor. Painting houses was Greyling’s passion. He was in high demand by contractors and investors all over the state of South Carolina to beautify their houses in some of the most affluent areas such as those in downtown Charleston on the battery, beach houses on Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island, Ion, and Kiawah Island. He was known to be a perfectionist in his field, working relentlessly until the job was done - and done right.

Greyling grew up in church at Christ Church Cathedral where he played the drums and ushered. He was known to be a flashy dresser at church wearing bright colored suits coordinating all the way down to his socks and sweat towel. He was also known for having a big heart as he performed and coordinated multiple renovation and repair projects at the church where he employed carpenters, electricians, and plumbers paying their labor and the materials oftentimes out of his own pocket.

Greyling enjoyed many hobbies when he was not working on projects – a rarity. He was an avid tennis fan and enjoyed watching professional tennis with his mother for hours. As a former high school athlete, Greyling enjoyed watching sports on television, especially boxing. And whenever he was not eating out of Sister Shirley’s pots, Greyling could be spotted at the nearest Church’s Chicken probably ordering a two-piece or whatever was the special that day with a strawberry soda. This man was spoiled out of womb, starting from his late grandmother, Yiya, to his mother, and his siblings on to his ex-wife and very special friend, Shirley, who took the spoiling of this man to another dimension!

Greyling is survived by his mother, Mamie Sharper; brothers, Clement aka “Bernie,” Terrence (Donna), and Orin (Stephanie); sisters, Sarah aka” Lynn” and Iris; his children, Quantez, Kimeshia, Latoya, Israel, and Youlanda; And a host of aunts, cousins, nephews and nieces, and grandchildren. His special niece, India, cared for him when he was sickly, preparing meals, running store errands, and giving him a cold glass of water when he did not have the energy to do it himself. His father, Bishop Benjamin Sharper, and his sister, Erica Prioleau, preceded him in death.

The Home Going Servcie for Mr. Sharper will take place on Saturday, November 25, 2023, 1:00 PM at Greater Christ Church Cathedral, 3311 Ottawa Ave., N. Charleston, SC. He will be laid to rest in Riverview Memorial Park Cemetery. The Walk Thru will take place on Friday, November 24, 2023, at the funeral home from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM.