Burton Floyd Sparks

SPARKS WILLIAMS

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 11/2/2010 at 00:21:19

Sioux City Journal
6 July 2010

SIOUX CITY -- Burton Floyd Sparks, 80, of Sioux City died Friday, July 2, 2010, at his residence following a two-and-one-half year battle with colon cancer.

Services will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at Morningside Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Home. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m., at the funeral home. Condolences may be sent online to www.christysmith.com.

Burton was born Nov. 15, 1929, in Moville, Iowa, the son of Frank and Bessie (Williams) Sparks. He was raised in Moville, graduating from Moville High School in 1948. He later obtained his bachelor of science degree from Morningside College.

On Nov. 22, 1951, he married Marion "Lee" Sparks in Kingsley, Iowa. The couple lived in Kingsley a couple of years prior to moving to Sioux City in 1956, where they resided since. Burton served in the U.S. Army during the time of the Korean conflict. He worked for Iowa Public Service (now Mid-American Energy) for 34 years in employee relations.

He was a member of Grace United Methodist Church.

Survivors include four sons, Mark and Bobbi Sparks of Rogers, Ark., Kevin and Jenny Sparks of Daphne, Ala., Perry and Sherry Sparks of Iowa City, Iowa, and Jerry Sparks of Sioux City; a daughter, Sandy and Jim Ocker of Lincoln, Neb., his special companion, Betty Rhue; 15 grandchildren, Dusty, Sara, Yvonne, Marian, Lucas, Kaye, Tony, Jared, Ben, Matt, Joe, Kallen, Brittany, Lacey and Stone; four great-grandchildren; two sisters, Lee McElrath and Millie Bowers; and a brother, Jay Sparks.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Lee; a son, Mike; four brothers; and a sister.

The family suggests memorials to Hospice of Siouxland or Grace United Methodist Church.