Mary Sharpley

Diakonissa Mary Diacos Sharpley fell asleep in the Lord on Saturday, May 27th, 2023.  She was a beloved wife, sister, mother, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother, mentor, and friend to many. 

Mary was born to Harry Diacos and Panagiota Dousmanis Diacos on April 27th, 1953.  Her mother, Panagiota, was born in Paleopanagia, Greece and emigrated to America after marrying Mary’s father, Harry.  Mary was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana and grew up in Houston, Texas with her brothers Pete Diacos and Steve Diacos, and her sister, Athena Diacos-Breazeale.  She was proud of her Greek heritage and the Greek Orthodox faith her mother instilled in her as a child and was guided by that faith for the rest of her life. 

She married Timothy Lane Wells in 1971 and they had two daughters, Athena Alexsandra Wells and Athanasia Maria Wells.  Mary and Tim were members of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Houston, Texas, and together they helped they served their faith by helping form the Young Adults League for young Orthodox members of the church.  Mary found joy in serving the church in any capacity she could and served as a GOYA advisor among other roles.  Although their marriage did not last, Mary and Tim remained friends. 

Mary had a beautiful soprano voice and loved to sing.  Her family will never forget her singing lullabies to her children and grandchildren, Linda Ronstadt loudly in the car, and the beautiful Greek Orthodox hymns in the church choir.  She was a wonderful cook and enjoyed cooking delicious Greek dishes, taught to her by her mother, for her family and friends.  She loved to read and cherished her books.  She was a talented author and loved to write.  She wrote stories about her experience as an Orthodox Christian and shared them with her family and Facebook friends.  She was a wonderful storyteller and loved sitting with her grandkids to tell them stories about the Bible and old Greek stories her Yiayia used to tell her.  She had a great sense of humor and loved to laugh and tell silly jokes to her children and grandchildren.  She loved her faith and her church, deeply, and she contributed as an historian for the 100-year history of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral and the 100th anniversary for the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Dallas, Texas.

Mary married Clint Sharpley in 2007 and moved to Dallas, Texas.  She helped Clint through his St. Stephen’s Course of Studies in Orthodox Theology, and he was ordained to the Diaconate in 2011.  At the Dallas church, Mary continued to serve her faith alongside her husband by singing in the church choir, working on the church archives, and assisting with the catechumen classes taught by, Reverend Father Deacon Athanasios “Clint” Sharpley.  After being asked by many people, Deacon Clint and Mary turned the catechumen course into a book entitled, Unshakable: Finding a Forever Faith.  Over the last dozen years, they have helped many people find the Orthodox faith. 

She is survived by her loving husband Reverend Father Deacon Athanasios “Clint” Sharpley of Plano, Texas; her sister Athena Diacos-Breazeale of Houston, Texas, and her daughter Allison Breazeale Breaux of Maryville, Tennessee and husband Robert, and their two daughters, Daisy Ophelia and Violet Jefferson; her daughter Athena Alexsandra Wells of Houston, Texas and her daughters Eleni Marie Craddock and Angeliki Elyse Craddock; her daughter, Athanasia Maria Wells of Houston, Texas and her children, Elena Michelle Rivera and son, Corey Christopher Davis, Sophia Elizabeth Medrano, and Cristian Alejandro Medrano.