Pastor Sharon Laverne (Dockery) Leake

PASTOR SHARON LAVERNE DOCKERY LEAKE, 64 of MINT HILL, NC passed away Sunday, February 28, 2021.

Graveside Services will be held 3:00 pm Saturday, March 6, 2021 at the Oliver Grove Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery, 232 Davis-Haywood Rd., MT. Gilead, NC.

(Due to the COVID 19 Pandemic everyone attending the Service and Public Viewing are required to wear a mask or facial covering.  Also please use the Hand Sanitizing Station when entering and exiting the Funeral Home.)

A public viewing will be held 2:00pm to 6:00 pm Thursday, March 4, 2021 at the Harris Funeral Home Memorial Chapel, 601 Winchester Avenue, Monroe, NC and 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm Friday, March 5, 2021 at Harris Funeral Home, 2529 NC Hwy. 109 S., MT. Gilead, NC.

Harris Funeral Home and  Cremations of Mt. Gilead, NC and Monroe, NC is serving the Leake, Dockery and extended families.

Reverend Sharon Dockery Leake, f ondly known as "Pastor Sharon " , she ascended to her awaiting heavenly home.  Free from all earthly pains and ills, she now resides with the angels, reaping the rewards of a job well done and interceding on our behalf, as we prepare ourselves for God's celestial magnificence,

Pastor Sharon , the former Sharon Laverne Dockery, was born on Wednesday, January 2, 1957, to Joseph T, Dockery and Edith Ophelia Nicholson Dockery in Mt. Gilead, NC, and was the third of four children.  Early on, she was a studious individual and education was important to her and would play a significant part in life's journey.  After graduating from West Montgomery High School in 1975, she entered North Carolina Central University and received  a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education in 1979.

Few years later, Pastor Sharon, would return to her hometown and teach at the high school from which she graduated.  Helping to shape new minds, she taught  in the exceptional children and served as a role model for young females teenagers who were witnesses to her professionalism and caring spirit.

Seeking other career opportunities, as a young woman , Pastor Sharon relocated back to Durham and eventually to Charlotte, NC and ultimately secured a position with Allstate Insurance Company as an underwriter.  During her high school years, she met the love of her life, her life partner in Mr. Glenn D. Leake, also a native of Mt. Gilead.  The two would marry on June 30, 1990 and make Charlotte their home.

After more than 19 years with Allstate, Pastor Sharon was hired back to education and accepted a role with the Charlotte Mecklenburg School System in their Human Resources Department.  One of her primary duties was recruiting qualified teachers.  She understood the challenges students faced due to an inadequate education and  her role was to help to staff the schools with caring professionals, such as herself.  It was during this time that Pastor Sharon and Glenn sought a deeper understanding of God's plan for their lives.  This manifested in more intense studying of the Bible and Pastor Sharon would heed the call into the ministry, when she was ordained in 2007, under the tutelage of Reverend Larry W. Whitley, Senior Pastor, Mount  Moriah Baptist Church, Matthews, NC.

Pastor Sharon continued her journey with the  Lord growing deeper in faith and God's Word.  In 2014, she said God led her to return to her childhood church in Mount Gilead-Oliver Grove Missionary Baptist Church.  There, she would use all the skills God had afforded her, to work with the congregation and to help  Oliver Grove become that "shining beacon on a hill", lighting the way to do great works in the name of the  Father.   After four years, volunteering and serving as assistant minister, Pastor Sharon would become a presiding Pastor of Oliver Grove Missionary Baptist Church.  Her installation was breath taking, and you could only feel her happiness and love, especially her love of God..

Now the work would begin and she marshalled all of her resources because God had brought her to this location to do his will.  With Glenn, she worked tirelessly and continuously as the congregation embraced God's vision through her.  The Church improved in all phases.  You could feel the excitement, planning for the future and the future is bright.. Pastor Sharon 's leadership is the catalyst for this revival..

Even though Pastor Sharon was purposeful and good oriented, she was never to busy for conversation.  With kindness, she would take time to hear you, to be present with counseling was a calming and practical, rendering of the circumstance or challenge..  Direct when needed, Pastor Sharon was comfortable with the mission because God was guiding her and she was obedient to Him.  Through it all, you could not miss her caring spirit, her confident resolve.  She has set the standard high for us, and her work is done down here.  Rest in everlasting peace.

Pastor Sharon was preceded in death by her parents, and a brother, Joel Reginald Dockery.  Those remaining to cherish her memories include her husband of 30 years, Glenn D. Leake; a son, Matthew Shawn Baldwin of Charlotte, NC, a niece of the home, Nya Dockery; brother, Allison "Tony" (Dana) Dockery of Charlotte, NC and a sister, Lory (Lavelle, Jr.) Johnson of Milwaukee, WI; a grandson, Cameron Flowers of Aberdeen, NC; three sisters-in-law, three nieces, four nephews, and a host of cousins, other relatives and friends.