Keith Sharper, high school track star, martial arts master, and retired investigator, has died at 65

Keith Sharper, 65, of Camden, high school track star, former high school and college cross-county and track coach, black belt martial arts Hall of Famer, retired senior investigator for the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, volunteer, and mentor, died Friday, May 24, of cardiovascular disease at his home.

A lifelong Camden resident, Mr. Sharper combined his dedication to law enforcement, knowledge of track and cross-country, and skill in martial arts to serve the public and develop athletes from grade school through college for four decades. He also showed unwavering support and personal concern for his former colleagues and students, they said in online tributes. One former runner said: “You changed lives because you cared for those you coached and encountered.”

Mr. Sharper paid for uniforms when students could not, constantly encouraged those who doubted themselves, and volunteered countless coaching hours to anyone who asked. “He had a nonprofit mentality,” said his wife, Gail. “It was never about money. If he could share knowledge, he was going to do it. He taught you without you knowing you were being taught.”

He preached discipline and confidence to his athletes and told the Courier-Post in 2008 that “pure aggressiveness” was a key to success as a hurdler. “One thing you’re looking for is that non-fear,” he said. “There are ways to get around that fear, but I prefer that person who isn’t afraid.”

He was a star hurdler and sprinter at Camden High School and was named first-team all-South Jersey by the Courier-Post as a senior in 1978. He earned a scholarship to Norfolk State University.

After his college career was cut short by an injury, he returned to Camden and became head cross-country coach and assistant track coach at Woodrow Wilson High School, head track coach at Camden Catholic High School, and then assistant coach at Rowan University. He also worked many summers with young runners for the Camden Police Athletic League.

“Coach Sharper was a cherished mentor, an influential leader, and a valued part of our program’s legacy,” the current women’s cross-country and track teams at Rowan said in a tribute. “His dedication and the lasting impact he made on our athletes and the broader community will never be forgotten.”

Mr. Sharper joined the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office in 1993 and investigated murders, robberies, and other crimes until he retired in 2015 after a heart attack. Earlier, he worked in law enforcement for the Delaware River Port Authority of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and the New Jersey Department of Corrections.

A friend praised his “style” and “special smile” in a tribute, and a former corrections colleague said: “I am honored to have known him all these years.”

He got interested in martial arts as a boy at the YMCA and became a master instructor of karate, aikido, and other arts at the Iron Cobra Dojo in Camden. He won competitive tournaments, instructed cadets at local law enforcement academies, and, among other honors, was inducted into the Philadelphia Martial Arts Society Hall of Fame.

He championed personal self-defense and organized training seminars for social and community groups. He was a leader with the New Jersey State Black Belt Association.

“My dad had one of the meanest and prettiest roundhouse kicks you ever did see,” said his daughter Samantha, “and even after he’d knocked you down he’d encourage you to get back up.”

In a Facebook tribute, martial arts colleague Anthony Dwight Lingo said Mr. Sharper’s life was “a shining example of dedication, strength, and humanitarianism. … Your legacy will inspire generations to come, and your spirit will always remain a guiding light in our martial arts family.”

Keith Wayne Sharper was born Oct. 17, 1959, in Camden. He met Gail Manuel at a martial arts event, and they married in 1988. “He had a presence that spoke to me,” his wife said.

They lived briefly in Philadelphia and then in Camden for years, and had daughters Samantha, Danielle, and Janie and a son, Clyde. He doted on his family and thrived with them despite years of dealing with diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart ailments.

“He was humble, a loving calm spirit who never raised his voice,” said his daughter Danielle. His daughter Samantha said: “Keith Sharper, a champion fighter in every sense of the title.”

In addition to his wife and children, Mr. Sharper is survived by eight grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, two sisters, two brothers, and other relatives. Two brothers died earlier.

A celebration of his life was held June 7.

Donations in his name may be made to the Animal Welfare Association, 509 Centennial Blvd., Voorhees, N.J. 08043.