Tommy D. Sharrett, 73, the original “wheeler dealer” of Princeton, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 19, 2011 at his home in Princeton.

Tom was born Aug. 20, 1937 in Allendale, Ill. to Lowell and Mina Fern Sharrett.  

He attended Sumner High School in Sumner, Ill., graduating in 1955.  

Tom moved to Princeton in 1964 where he worked at City Motors until he walked across the street to be the general manager of Dauby Chevrolet-Buick.  Out of this move came the familiar saying “don’t care if you call us dooby-dauby-doby, just call us.”  

In 1988, Tom purchased the dealership from Ralph Dauby-renaming it Sharrett Chevrolet-Buick, and Tom started “wheelin and a dealin”.  Later he purchased the Pontiac-Olds dealership from Bob Kranitz-forming Tom Sharrett GM Superstore. It closed in 2005 due to illness.  Tom always said Princeton had been good to him, so he spent most of his life trying to give back to the community.  He was a member of the die-hard Chicago Cubs fan club since 1945.  He also loved playing golf and was an avid Chicago Bears fan.

Tom is survived by his wife of 41 years, Joyce Sharrett of Princeton; his children, Neena (Bobby) Livermore of Princeton, Darla (Allen) Karnes of Carbondale, Ill., Lynda Sharrett-Field of Lexington, Ky., Bob (Karen) Bailey of Antioch, Ill., Joe Bailey of Princeton; grandchildren, Travis (Pricilla) Livermore of Carbondale, Ill., Tyson Livermore (Loganne Smith) of Bloomington, Zach and Jackson Treece of Carbondale, Thomas and Sidney Field of Lexington, Ky., Nikki Bailey (Mike Brady) of Arizona, Mackenzie, Tyler and Jayme Bailey of Antioch, Ill., Briana (Travis) Smith of Princeton, Brittany Bailey and Zac Bailey both of Princeton; three great-grandchildren, Rylee and Barrett Smith, Gabriel Livermore; two sisters-in-law, Judy Moore, Jan Maxey; two special aunts and an uncle, Kenneth and Clayre Sharrett of South Carolina, Elizabeth Wolfe of Evansville; nieces and numerous friends.

 Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Monday, April 25, 2011 at Hillside United Methodist Church in Princeton, with the Rev. Lisa Schubert and Rev. Brian Cook officiating.  Burial will be at the Decker Cemetery in rural Patoka.  

Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Sunday at Colvin Funeral Home in Princeton and from 9 a.m, until the service hour  Monday at the church.