Leo Sparkman's Obituary
Leo Willie Sparkman, 96, passed peacefully in his sleep into the arms of his heavenly Savior on January 2, 2018, at home after a brief illness. Leo was born February 16, 1921, in Upshur County in the home of his parents, Ernest Truman Sparkman and Willie Oneida Thacker Sparkman.
The funeral celebrating his life will be Friday, January 5th at First Lutheran Church with Pastor Jeff Borgwardt officiating. Visitation will be at 1pm prior to the service at 2pm. The graveside service at Lakeview Memorial Gardens will immediately follow the funeral.
Leo was preceded in death by his loving devoted wife of 68-1/2 years, Melba, in 2015. He was born and raised in Upshur County as the son of a sharecropper family, and finished school at New Diana High School in 1938.
Leo enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps, predecessor of the U.S. Air Force, in 1943 during WWII. Leo bravely flew in 17 missions as a navigator and gunner in Bachelor’s Bedlam, a WWII B-24 bomber, including the Battle of the Bulge and the invasion at Normandy. 70 years later, he would still tell the stories of those missions with remarkable clarity as he vividly recalled the dangers and sights of the devastation and necessity of war.
He loved to recount the story of how he met Melba on a cold winter day when he saw the “cute little blonde” leave her footprints on a snow-covered Gilmer street. They married about a year and a half later at the home of their pastor, in a May 31, 1947 double ceremony with Joe and Inie Faye Pickitt.
Leo retired from Texas Eastman in 1981. He and Melba lived in Longview their entire married lives as active members of First Lutheran Church, raising four children in Pine Tree schools. If the church doors were open, the Sparkman family was there. After retirement, they enjoyed traveling the United States and giving their time to serve others through First Lutheran ministries, the VFW, and Meals on Wheels. The two of them were a fun and remarkable couple to be around, full of laughter and always on the go before the limits of aging slowed them down. Fiercely independent and never wanting to burden anyone, Leo didn’t stop driving until he was 94 years old and continued his favorite pastime of gardening even through this past summer.
Leo’s greatest fulfillment in life was loving and taking care of his family! He loved to have all his kids and grandkids at home any and every time they wanted to be, always happiest when the “whole crew” came together and the house was full of the action and noise of family. He really had a gift for turning a phrase and bringing tales to life, so he was the center of attention at family gatherings when was telling stories. He was hardworking, patriotic, spirited and funny, a storyteller, a gardener, a Believer with a servant’s heart and humble faith. He was a wonderful Dad and husband. His ever-present encouraging and dependable presence will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him.
His faith in the Lord Jesus was a beautiful testimony in these past few months as his health was failing. His motivation for each day was that God had “one more little thing - or maybe a big thing” for him to do before taking him home. Surely God’s last job for him was the lessons he taught us all about his strong faith, loving one another and taking care of others.
Leo was preceded in death by his wife, Melba R. Sparkman; parents Ernest and Willie Sparkman; brothers Orise, Windle, and Richard Sparkman; sisters Agnes Shirley, Mildred Coston, Ruby Bradley, and Geneva Witcher. He is survived by children and spouses Shirley and Johnny Davis, Robert and Jayne Sparkman, Sharon and Richard Henson, and Sherry and Donald Lazor; grandchildren Johnathan Davis, Russell Davis, Ashley Sparkman, Seth Sparkman, Jace Henson, Joshua Henson, Tristan Lazor, Ethan Lazor and Griffin Lazor; great-grandson Will Davis.
The family would like to express our heartfelt thanks to precious longtime caregiver Rae Allen, and wonderful caregivers of these past few months Susan Reed, Carla Jones and Nicole McAndrews. In lieu of flowers, Leo requested that donations be made to the Leo and Melba Sparkman Memorial Scholarship Fund at First Lutheran Church, Longview.
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