William E. "Bill" Sparks

Thursday, October 18, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. at Waters Funeral Chapel, 500 S. Main Street in Vandalia, Missouri 63382.
Officiating will be: Rev. Bob Hoehn.
Music provided by: selected favorite hymns.
Interment will be in the Vandalia Cemetery.
Pallbearers: Pat Luebrecht, Tra Hudson, Jim Thorpe, Ernie Brown, Edwin Brown and Charlie Brown.

William Edward "Bill" Sparks passed away at 5:05 p.m. Sunday, October 14, 2007 at the Audrain Medical Center in Mexico, Missouri. Bill attended schools in Curryville and Bowling Green. He worked at Harbison Walker Refractories for a couple years before enlisting in the Army during World War II. Bill served two years and spent much of his time in Germany and central Europe in a tank battalion. After his service, he returned to Vandalia and his job at Harbison Walker. Bill retired in November 1983 after over 37 years of service at Harbison Walker, a majority of that time as the maintenance department supervisor. He was a life member of Vandalia VFW Post 2173 and enjoyed fishing, camping, gardening and tinkering in his garage repairing just about anything.

Born: December 22, 1925 in Curryville, Missouri the son of Ira Oras and Clara Rebecca (Sisson) Sparks.

Married: Gladys M. Ebers on September 24, 1949 at St. Clements; she preceded him in death on April 24, 2007.

Survivors include: two sons, Barry E. Sparks and wife, Crystal of Vandalia; Thomas L. Sparks and wife, Jackie of Washington, Missouri; two sisters, Lula Rae Sims of Vandalia and Anna Marie Jennings of Bowling Green; four grandchildren, Brian C. Sparks of Jacksonville, Illinois; Stephanie R. Sparks of Vandalia; Megan L. Sparks and Adam J. Sparks both of Washington, Missouri.

Preceded in death by: one sister, Irene Lindsay.