Robert Vern Sparks, 83, a longtime resident of Wenatchee, passed away Sunday, Oct. 27, 2002 in Central Washington Hospital following an extended illness.
He was born on Nov. 16, 1918 to Robert O. and Bertha B. (McLean) Sparks at Coulee City.
In 1920, he moved with his family to Wenatchee where they owned a ranch at the mouth of Number Two Canyon. Vern attended Wenatchee schools graduating from Wenatchee High School in 1938. Following high school, he enrolled at Washington State College, shortly thereafter he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served during W.W. II. Vern married Betty Fern Certain in Wenatchee on July 18, 1942.
He was honorably discharged in 1946 and he returned to WSC to complete his education where he received his Masters Degree in education.
Mr. Sparks was fortunate enough to secure a job back in his hometown of Wenatchee where he taught for thirty years. During those thirty years, he taught woodshop at Wenatchee High School, then mechanical drawing at H.B. Ellison Jr. High School and Orchard Jr. High School. He was instrumental in starting the first adult driver's education program at Wenatchee Valley College in 1948.
In 1954, he was engaged as a member of the Board of Directors for the Wenatchee Chiefs Baseball Team and then became general manager until 1965. Vern and his wife Betty owned and operated two neighborhood grocery stores, Vern's Food Shop and Lipp & Moore in Wenatchee from 1959 until selling them in 1982.
He joined the Wenatchee Elks Lodge BPOE #1186 in 1950 and remained an active member until 2001. He held the position of Exalted Ruler from 1970 until 1971. He also had held the position of secretary and manager for approximately twenty years. Vern enjoyed boating on Lake Chelan and the many years he spent doing so with family and friends. He had been an active member of the Lake Chelan Yacht Club for many years.
Vern is survived by his wife of sixty years, Betty of the family home; twin sons, Garry (Patti) Sparks of Wenatchee; Jerry (Nancy) Sparks of Snohomish; twin sons, Jeff (Vickie) Sparks and Jay Sparks, both of Wenatchee; his grandchildren, Wendy Parise of Everett; Joni (Mike) Kuhn of Everson; Robin (Gary) Crawford of East Wenatchee; Tye Sparks of Wenatchee; Cheryl Sparks, Heather Sparks, both of Spokane; Lisa Sparks of Wenatchee; Matthew Skipper of Snohomish; Sarah Skipper of Chandler, AZ; also, Jessica Sparks, ten great-grandchildren and cousins, Dorothy Leedy and Bessie McLean both of Wenatchee; Gene McLean of Omak; Ruth Humphries of Camarillo, CA; and Marshall McLean of Sparks, NV.
He was preceded in death by his father in 1958 and his mother in 1994.
Funeral Services will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2002 at Telford's Chapel of the Valley with Pastor Ron Yates officiating.
Entombment will follow at Evergreen Memorial Park.
Viewing will be held Wednesday from noon to 8 p.m. at the Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Tall Elks, P.O. Box 110760, Tacoma, WA 98411-0706.
Arrangements are by Telford's Chapel of the Valley, East Wenatchee.
He was born on Nov. 16, 1918 to Robert O. and Bertha B. (McLean) Sparks at Coulee City.
In 1920, he moved with his family to Wenatchee where they owned a ranch at the mouth of Number Two Canyon. Vern attended Wenatchee schools graduating from Wenatchee High School in 1938. Following high school, he enrolled at Washington State College, shortly thereafter he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served during W.W. II. Vern married Betty Fern Certain in Wenatchee on July 18, 1942.
He was honorably discharged in 1946 and he returned to WSC to complete his education where he received his Masters Degree in education.
Mr. Sparks was fortunate enough to secure a job back in his hometown of Wenatchee where he taught for thirty years. During those thirty years, he taught woodshop at Wenatchee High School, then mechanical drawing at H.B. Ellison Jr. High School and Orchard Jr. High School. He was instrumental in starting the first adult driver's education program at Wenatchee Valley College in 1948.
In 1954, he was engaged as a member of the Board of Directors for the Wenatchee Chiefs Baseball Team and then became general manager until 1965. Vern and his wife Betty owned and operated two neighborhood grocery stores, Vern's Food Shop and Lipp & Moore in Wenatchee from 1959 until selling them in 1982.
He joined the Wenatchee Elks Lodge BPOE #1186 in 1950 and remained an active member until 2001. He held the position of Exalted Ruler from 1970 until 1971. He also had held the position of secretary and manager for approximately twenty years. Vern enjoyed boating on Lake Chelan and the many years he spent doing so with family and friends. He had been an active member of the Lake Chelan Yacht Club for many years.
Vern is survived by his wife of sixty years, Betty of the family home; twin sons, Garry (Patti) Sparks of Wenatchee; Jerry (Nancy) Sparks of Snohomish; twin sons, Jeff (Vickie) Sparks and Jay Sparks, both of Wenatchee; his grandchildren, Wendy Parise of Everett; Joni (Mike) Kuhn of Everson; Robin (Gary) Crawford of East Wenatchee; Tye Sparks of Wenatchee; Cheryl Sparks, Heather Sparks, both of Spokane; Lisa Sparks of Wenatchee; Matthew Skipper of Snohomish; Sarah Skipper of Chandler, AZ; also, Jessica Sparks, ten great-grandchildren and cousins, Dorothy Leedy and Bessie McLean both of Wenatchee; Gene McLean of Omak; Ruth Humphries of Camarillo, CA; and Marshall McLean of Sparks, NV.
He was preceded in death by his father in 1958 and his mother in 1994.
Funeral Services will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2002 at Telford's Chapel of the Valley with Pastor Ron Yates officiating.
Entombment will follow at Evergreen Memorial Park.
Viewing will be held Wednesday from noon to 8 p.m. at the Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Tall Elks, P.O. Box 110760, Tacoma, WA 98411-0706.
Arrangements are by Telford's Chapel of the Valley, East Wenatchee.
Robert Vern Sparks, 83, a longtime resident of Wenatchee, passed away Sunday, Oct. 27, 2002 in Central Washington Hospital following an extended illness.
He was born on Nov. 16, 1918 to Robert O. and Bertha B. (McLean) Sparks at Coulee City.
In 1920, he moved with his family to Wenatchee where they owned a ranch at the mouth of Number Two Canyon. Vern attended Wenatchee schools graduating from Wenatchee High School in 1938. Following high school, he enrolled at Washington State College, shortly thereafter he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served during W.W. II. Vern married Betty Fern Certain in Wenatchee on July 18, 1942.
He was honorably discharged in 1946 and he returned to WSC to complete his education where he received his Masters Degree in education.
Mr. Sparks was fortunate enough to secure a job back in his hometown of Wenatchee where he taught for thirty years. During those thirty years, he taught woodshop at Wenatchee High School, then mechanical drawing at H.B. Ellison Jr. High School and Orchard Jr. High School. He was instrumental in starting the first adult driver's education program at Wenatchee Valley College in 1948.
In 1954, he was engaged as a member of the Board of Directors for the Wenatchee Chiefs Baseball Team and then became general manager until 1965. Vern and his wife Betty owned and operated two neighborhood grocery stores, Vern's Food Shop and Lipp & Moore in Wenatchee from 1959 until selling them in 1982.
He joined the Wenatchee Elks Lodge BPOE #1186 in 1950 and remained an active member until 2001. He held the position of Exalted Ruler from 1970 until 1971. He also had held the position of secretary and manager for approximately twenty years. Vern enjoyed boating on Lake Chelan and the many years he spent doing so with family and friends. He had been an active member of the Lake Chelan Yacht Club for many years.
Vern is survived by his wife of sixty years, Betty of the family home; twin sons, Garry (Patti) Sparks of Wenatchee; Jerry (Nancy) Sparks of Snohomish; twin sons, Jeff (Vickie) Sparks and Jay Sparks, both of Wenatchee; his grandchildren, Wendy Parise of Everett; Joni (Mike) Kuhn of Everson; Robin (Gary) Crawford of East Wenatchee; Tye Sparks of Wenatchee; Cheryl Sparks, Heather Sparks, both of Spokane; Lisa Sparks of Wenatchee; Matthew Skipper of Snohomish; Sarah Skipper of Chandler, AZ; also, Jessica Sparks, ten great-grandchildren and cousins, Dorothy Leedy and Bessie McLean both of Wenatchee; Gene McLean of Omak; Ruth Humphries of Camarillo, CA; and Marshall McLean of Sparks, NV.
He was preceded in death by his father in 1958 and his mother in 1994.
Funeral Services will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2002 at Telford's Chapel of the Valley with Pastor Ron Yates officiating.
Entombment will follow at Evergreen Memorial Park.
Viewing will be held Wednesday from noon to 8 p.m. at the Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Tall Elks, P.O. Box 110760, Tacoma, WA 98411-0706.
Arrangements are by Telford's Chapel of the Valley, East Wenatchee.
He was born on Nov. 16, 1918 to Robert O. and Bertha B. (McLean) Sparks at Coulee City.
In 1920, he moved with his family to Wenatchee where they owned a ranch at the mouth of Number Two Canyon. Vern attended Wenatchee schools graduating from Wenatchee High School in 1938. Following high school, he enrolled at Washington State College, shortly thereafter he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served during W.W. II. Vern married Betty Fern Certain in Wenatchee on July 18, 1942.
He was honorably discharged in 1946 and he returned to WSC to complete his education where he received his Masters Degree in education.
Mr. Sparks was fortunate enough to secure a job back in his hometown of Wenatchee where he taught for thirty years. During those thirty years, he taught woodshop at Wenatchee High School, then mechanical drawing at H.B. Ellison Jr. High School and Orchard Jr. High School. He was instrumental in starting the first adult driver's education program at Wenatchee Valley College in 1948.
In 1954, he was engaged as a member of the Board of Directors for the Wenatchee Chiefs Baseball Team and then became general manager until 1965. Vern and his wife Betty owned and operated two neighborhood grocery stores, Vern's Food Shop and Lipp & Moore in Wenatchee from 1959 until selling them in 1982.
He joined the Wenatchee Elks Lodge BPOE #1186 in 1950 and remained an active member until 2001. He held the position of Exalted Ruler from 1970 until 1971. He also had held the position of secretary and manager for approximately twenty years. Vern enjoyed boating on Lake Chelan and the many years he spent doing so with family and friends. He had been an active member of the Lake Chelan Yacht Club for many years.
Vern is survived by his wife of sixty years, Betty of the family home; twin sons, Garry (Patti) Sparks of Wenatchee; Jerry (Nancy) Sparks of Snohomish; twin sons, Jeff (Vickie) Sparks and Jay Sparks, both of Wenatchee; his grandchildren, Wendy Parise of Everett; Joni (Mike) Kuhn of Everson; Robin (Gary) Crawford of East Wenatchee; Tye Sparks of Wenatchee; Cheryl Sparks, Heather Sparks, both of Spokane; Lisa Sparks of Wenatchee; Matthew Skipper of Snohomish; Sarah Skipper of Chandler, AZ; also, Jessica Sparks, ten great-grandchildren and cousins, Dorothy Leedy and Bessie McLean both of Wenatchee; Gene McLean of Omak; Ruth Humphries of Camarillo, CA; and Marshall McLean of Sparks, NV.
He was preceded in death by his father in 1958 and his mother in 1994.
Funeral Services will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2002 at Telford's Chapel of the Valley with Pastor Ron Yates officiating.
Entombment will follow at Evergreen Memorial Park.
Viewing will be held Wednesday from noon to 8 p.m. at the Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Tall Elks, P.O. Box 110760, Tacoma, WA 98411-0706.
Arrangements are by Telford's Chapel of the Valley, East Wenatchee.
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