Sparks, Ralph Clair 1916-2006

SPARKS, MALLVEY, RUTLEDGE

Posted By: volunteer (email)
Date: 4/18/2006 at 21:17:28

Ralph Clair Sparks, 89, of Newton died Friday, March 24, 2006, at Skiff Medical Center in Newton.

A funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Pence-Reese Funeral Home in Newton with the Rev. Gary Marzolf of First United Methodist Church in Newton officiating. Burial will be at Newton Union Cemetery.

Visitation is planned from 11:30 a.m. until the time of the service Saturday at the funeral home, where the family will be available. In lieu of flowers, memorials will be accepted in his name.

The son of Ralph S. and Effie A. Mallvey Sparks, he was born April 20, 1916, in Jasper County. He graduated from Newton Senior High School in 1935 and served as a Yeoman First Class in the U.S. Navy during World War II. On May 31, 1936, he married Helen Rutledge in Sterling, Ill. He was a self-employed barber from 1939 to 1979. He served as magistrate for Boone County from 1974 to 1979. He enjoyed fishing, bowling and traveling with his wife.

Mr. Sparks was a member of First United Methodist Church and American Legion Post No. 0056 in Boone.

Survivors include his wife; two sons, Kenneth (Marge) Sparks of Roseville, Calif., and Terry (Sue) Sparks of Minneapolis, Minn.; four grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and a sister, Lorene Stotts of Danville, Ind.

He was preceded in death by his parents; an infant son, Jerry Sparks; and four brothers, Vern, Albert, Elmer and Doyle.

The Newton Daily News, Tuesday, March 28, 2006