Lora A. Sharpe, 69, of Marion died January 18, 2021 at home after a grueling yet graceful battle with cancer. She was the wife of James H. Fogarty, to whom she was happily married for nearly 41 years.
Born in Kew Gardens, Queens, NY, daughter of the late Gerard C. and Nancy L. (Fountain) Sharpe, she lived in Marion most of her adult life.
After obtaining her bachelor’s degree from the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, Lora worked for several years at the Pocono Record in Stroudsburg, PA and then received her master’s in journalism from Boston University. She was a reporter for The New Bedford Standard-Times, and the editor of its “Bowsprit” Sunday Magazine. She met her husband while interviewing him for a story, and throughout the early days of their courtship they enjoyed meals throughout the region as she reviewed local restaurants for The Standard-Times. After a career break to mother Owen and Julie, Lora returned to the workforce, where her love of writing and people led her to roles as a stringer and freelance writer at The Boston Globe and, for the last twenty-plus years of her career, to Development at Wheaton College and The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Lora was a voracious reader and could usually be found with a book in hand, whether at the gym, the beach, or meeting with her book club. She enjoyed dogs, swimming, biking, and kayaking, and spent summer days with her family at the neighborhood beach, where she was a beloved fixture. A lifelong learner, she was always interested in and engaged with the world and its people, and set the curve even as she audited classes at Wheaton. Adventurous and determined, she savored travel escapades with her family throughout Europe, the Caribbean, Alaska, and the American West, where they survived untoward adventures subsequently referred to in family lore as “camping stories.” Detesting football but a knowledgeable hockey and baseball fan, Lora overcame her Mets upbringing to embrace the Red Sox, attending innumerable games in Section 30 at Fenway and watching most unattended games.
In the last year she became a grandparent, and cherished time with her new granddaughters.
In life, Lora was loving, loyal, bright, vibrant, and indomitable, and will remain so in memory.
Survivors include her husband; a son, Owen Fogarty, of Bend, OR; a daughter, Julie Fogarty, and her husband Daniel Jeng of Hingham, MA; three sisters, Irene Sharpe of Grifton, NC, Diane Sharpe of Liberty, NY, Nancy DeBlasio of Georgetown, TX; two grandchildren, Catherine and Savannah Jeng; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
Her memorial service will be held at a later date when it is safe to gather to celebrate her life.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Lora’s memory can be made to Massachusetts General Hospital or The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Arrangements are with the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Mattapoisett. For the online guestbook, visit www.saundersdwyer.com.
