Bill Sparks

Thursday, September 30, 2004

SIKESTON - William Earl "Bill" Sparks, 78, died at 9:15 a.m. Sept. 27, 2004, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau.

Born Jan. 13, 1926, in Lutherville, Ark., son of the late Samuel Harrison and Mary T. Belling Sparks, he was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and member of VFW Post 3174 in Sikeston and Disabled American Veterans. He was of the Methodist belief and retired as an iron worker for LaSalle Iron Works in St. Louis.

On July 21, 1995, in Sikeston, he married Jacquelyn C. Cain who preceded him in death on May 18, 2003.

Survivors include: one son, Douglas Ray Sparks of Ste. Genevieve; one daughter, Delma Paquet of Myrtle Beach, S.C.; one stepson, Kevin Ward of Sikeston; one stepdaughter, Jami M. Geske of Matthews; two brothers, Boyd "Pete" Sparks of Russellville, Ark., and Thomas "Tommy" Sparks of Belleville, Mich.; one sister, Frances Davis of Russellville; and nine grandchildren, William E. Sparks III, Crystal Sparks, Samantha Leavitt, Andrea Schlereth, Dana Paquet, Melanie Sparks, Mark Paquet, Olivia Paquet and Keith Sparks; and two great-grandchildren, Devin Schlereth and Ryan Schlereth.

Services were conducted at 10:30 a.m. today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel. The Rev. John Goodwin, pastor of Hunter Memorial First Presbyterian Church, officiated.

The Missouri Military Funeral Honor Guard conducted full military rites at Garden of Memories Cemetery.

Pallbearers were: C.L. Davis, William B. Sparks, Nick Benfield, Dennis Sparks, Dustin Benfield and Tim Geske.


Memorial contributions

may be sent to

Missouri Veterans Home

2400 Veterans Memorial Drive

Cape Girardeau, MO 63701

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