Corine Sharp Hurst

September 22, 2024 to February 02, 2024

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Corine Sharp Hurst, 89, passed away in the early morning hours on Friday, February 2, 2024. Corine was born Mattie Corine Sharp on September 22, 1934 to Robert and Ellen Turner Sharp in Adona, Arkansas. Corine was the oldest of eight children, and she often spoke about her childhood, working the fields with her brothers and sisters, cooking with her mother, and although they never had much, she always felt very loved.

At her high school in Dumas, Arkansas, Corine found her voice through singing and writing for the school paper. After graduation, Corine moved to Pine Bluff to work for the phone company. She loved this time in her life living with best friends and being young working women. They often spent their evenings at the root beer drive-in, one night when they were there, they were visiting with a handsome young man that got in their car, his name was Elvis Presley. The next night, she and her friends went back hoping to see Elvis, when a young man started flirting with her and told her he liked her voice, that flirt would later become her husband.

In 1955, she married James Vernon Martin in Greenville, Mississippi and they moved to Houston. Her 3 children, Nancy Ellen, Gregory Wayne, and Gina Melissa were born of the marriage. Corine fondly remembered trips to the Martin family home where they would go fishing on Lake Conway. Jimmy Martin died tragically in 1962, leaving Corine with three children five, three and three weeks old. In 1965 she married Charles Hurst and remained in that marriage until 1992.

Corine was extremely active in her community both through work and volunteer efforts. She was well known and trusted by all that interacted with her. She was a vital part of the church and on staff for many years at Memorial Drive United Methodist Church. If you knew her during these years, you probably ran into her making delicious tea sandwiches and sherbet punch for wedding receptions in the fellowship hall. She continued serving her church and her faith by being a Stephen Minister for many years at Chapelwood United Methodist Church. She also worked in the medical field and was an essential asset to the doctors she served, eventually retiring in 2004.  

She had a sneaky sense of humor. She always had inside jokes and was always quick to meet you with a wink or a sly smile. She had her innocent secrets, and everyone that got a chance to be on the inside felt special and loved.

Corine loved cooking for her friends and family. She would often show up with banana bread or dozens of cookies for no reason at all, and everyone who received them felt so lucky. She reveled in the company of her family and friends, and never got tired of entertaining or holding court; she had the gift of hospitality. Gardening and traveling were joys in her life, and she shared stories of her world travels, with great detail, up until the end of her life. She knew she was blessed to have visited so many interesting cultures and places. She loved her family deeply and was deeply loved by everyone who spent time with her. Her life was dedicated to helping others, whether that be through her friendships, through her volunteer work, or just her kind heart. Her kindness and inner strength were a positive influence on all that interacted with her.  Her family and friends will remember and honor her for being a role model, a pillar of strength and grace, and for serving the community and her Lord with all her heart. 

Corine’s faith is one of her most admiral and defining qualities. She spent her life serving God and acting as she hoped God would want her to. She truly loved the Lord and put her complete faith and trust in Him. Had she not, she said she would have not been able to cope with the difficult times in her life. She had 2 mottos that helped her through these difficult times, 1) This too shall pass…, and 2) Don't worry about anything today that you can put off worrying about until tomorrow.

Corine is survived by her children Nancy and Jan Glenn,Greg Martin and Paul Garcia, Gina and Tom Ayers, grandchildren Tiffany and Bryan Galligan, Luke and Bethany Mannion, David and Alicia Ayers, and Brian Ayers, her great grandchildren, Mason and Blake Galligan, Kinsley Ray and Stetson Mannion, and Isabella Ayers, her siblings and their spouses Bob and Mona Sharp, Shirley Sharp, Jan Sharp, Bruce and Debbie Sharp, and her many nieces, nephews and cousins. She is preceded in death by her husband James Martin, parents Robert and Ellen Sharp, brothers Turner Wayne Sharp, Sammy Glen Sharp, Harold J. Sharp, and sisters Donna Carter and Sharon Devoge.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at Holy Covenant United Methodist Church in Katy, TX at 10am on Saturday, February 10. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to Holy Covenant UMC, 22111 Morton Ranch Rd, Katy, TX 77449 with the notation of "Gen. Memorial Fund - Corine.”