I was now drinking just to stay even, to function, survive, not to get high or have fun. But I still did it after work. I did hundreds of shows with hangovers." After his doctor intervened, Sharbutt was helped by some of the doctor's patients who were recovered alcoholics. Sharbutt said, "It was my association with these recovered alcoholics that enabled me to stop drinking nearly 24 years ago. My greatest joy since has been trying to help other practicing alcoholics do what I've done." Much of Sharbutt's work in that regard was focused around Palm Desert, California, where his wife and he moved after he retired. Rank wrote, "Del and Dr. Joe Cruse ... started an educational program on alcoholism at Eisenhower Medical Center called 'The Alcohol Awareness Hour.' It featured locally and nationally known recovering alcoholics who gave talks and answered questions on the disease." Sharbutt produced a program, "Jazz Without Booze", that featured recovering jazz musicians, singers, and others. The show was produced for 17 years and always sold out the first day tickets were available. Proceeds went to the volunteer program of the Eisenhower Medical Center. Sharbutt and his wife (known professionally as Meri Bell), played integral roles in encouraging former First Lady Betty Ford to establish the Betty Ford Center. Bell was Ford's sponsor in Alcoholics Anonymous. Ford's obituary in USA Today related developments after she received hospital treatment for recovering alcoholics: Ford was encouraged to help other drug and alcohol addicts as part of her therapy, but Bell's husband, the late Del Sharbutt, Eisenhower [Medical Center] board President John Sinn and Chairwoman Dolores Hope sought to integrally involve the Fords in their medical center. "After she got out of treatment," Sharbutt told The Desert Sun in the 1990s, "Dolores [Hope] called her and said, 'You're the new kid on the block. Do you see anything around here that we're not doing that we ought to be doing?' Betty spoke right up and said, 'Yes, you don't have a program for alcoholism or chemical dependency.'" Family Sharbutt was married to Mary C. Balsley, who sang professionally as Meri Bell. They had two sons, Jay Sharbutt and Bill Sharbutt, and a daughter, M.D. Ridge. References External links Two streaming recordings of newscasts by Del Sharbutt are among the files on this page. 1912 births 2002 deaths American male radio actors Radio and television announcers American radio