Dr. Joseph Byron Sheare, DEd, passed away peacefully on April 9, 2019 at his home in Ocean Pines, MD after a battle with dementia and Parkinson’s disease. He was born in 1946 in Kearny, New Jersey to Mae and Byron Sheare. Joe started his career with the Glen Rock, NJ school system working with special needs students. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Kean University, Master’s degree from Seton Hall, and his doctoral degree from Penn State University in psychology. He moved to Maryland in 1972 where he started his private practice and also worked many years with the Fairfax County, VA public school system where he set up their program for emotionally challenged youth. He was also the director of the Staff Development Institute, a federal grant program that trained general education teachers to assist special education students. They trained teachers throughout the state of Virginia and nationwide. In 2016, he retired from his private psychology practice in Bethesda, MD after 44 years. Joe was the president of the homeowner’s association at Casa del Sol in Ocean City, MD for 9 years and loved his beach community. Joe had his second home in Ocean City, MD for 26 years before moving to Ocean Pines in 2017. He loved to fish and go offshore in his boat, Blues Chaser II. He found joy in home improvement projects, reading, and listening to music.

He is survived by his wife of 42 years Robin Sheare of Ocean Pines, MD, his son Ryan Sheare, daughter-in-law Megha, and two grandchildren Natasha and Hannah. He is also survived by his two nieces Shari and Cindi and many wonderful supportive friends. He is predeceased by his mother Mae, father Byron, sister Barbara, and stepfather Joe.

Joe was a member of the Ocean City Jeep Club and an avid supporter of the Ocean City Reef Foundation, a nonprofit organization that is enhancing our local marine ecosystem through the creation of artificial reefs. His request was to be interred at the Sheare Family Reef. More information, please visit http://sheare.com/joe/. Contributions can be made in his honor to the Ocean City Reef Foundation at http://www.ocreefs.org/.