A BIG THANK for all the pictures....
Life is a gift... Make each day count!!
Love all around, Sonya Reed 

April 2010. Dad's birthday celebration.

Sandy, STEVE, and Bro. Hagler (family friend) in front.

Wayman, Sambo and others in the kitchen.

April, 2010.   Steve made it home again for another one of dad's birthday's.

Stan, Sam, STEVE, Bobby, dad, Sandy and Sonya all stand in front of dad's prophetic chart for a photo.




April 2013. 

Steve home again for dad's birthday. Let's see that year dad would have been the big 9-0, I think. 

Seems like it was at dad's birthday and/or Thanksgivings when Steve came home to visit.  Sadly, I missed so many of those days. 

Here he is in kitchen chowing down with Bobby and Stanny boy :)   
 

Another one of dad's birthday's that Steve came home for. Unfortunately, I did not attend. Cindy, I believe it was, forwarded the photos, which were very much appreciated.

April 13, 2014, Steve, Bobby and Stan chowing down in the kitchen., celebrating dad's 91st birthday! 

Thanksgiving 2015 @ dad's. Steve playing checks with big bro. Bobby.

Not sure who won that game that time :)

Sam, Suzi, Sonya, and Steve
November 2017

Playing Yahtzee at my house  thanksgiving 2017  kept rolling the dice❤️

My Grandson Logan playing checkers with Uncle Steve last Christmas 2017❤️

Stephen was my twin brother. We didnt look that much alike which is probably the case with mixed sex twins. However, we loved each other. Didnt really get to see too much of him as adults. When I would call him esp. on his birthday he always said "twin sister"!  Steve loved to play games and one of the most interesting that stands out to me was ... he would say "Stephanie give me longitude and latitude on the globe". I would and almost every time he would know, without looking, exactly where I was pointing on the globe. Steve as he grew old was bothered by various things which he had no control over. But perhaps we all do.

Love you, twin brother.  Stephanie Sparks Salva

Well, well, family certainly has been busy loading photos.  I am adding some myself if I can figure out how to do it :)

I am big sis, Sandy. Stephen and his twin Stephanie were one year and 4 days younger than me. Fond memories of Stephen are when we were pre-teens and teenagers, back in the 1960's. He and our 2 younger brothers, Sam and Stan used to play basketball together and believe it or not "for a girl" I was pretty good and in fact went on to play basketball in college!

Christmas for us 10 kids were really special. Stephen so enjoyed the presents under the tree and the excitement of this special holiday. He loved to play monopoly with his siblings. 

Unfortunately life took us in different directions. I moved to L.A. CA in 1972 and Stephen joined the military for a short time. While on leave he came to visit me in L.A. in 1976. He eventually moved to St. Louis, MO and on to Texas in the 1980's and I moved on to Florida in 1986. I have wonderful memories of going to visit him, Mickey and the kids in their beautiful home in Austin, TX in 1991. 

Years rolled on by and we didn't see one another much but would keep in contact via phone or letters. In April, 2010 we were home at dad's and he and I walked around the neighborhood, saw J.C.H.S., walked on over to our childhood church which is still standing: Full Gospel Tabernacle. We walked on and visited Ms. Grissley who was our high school secretary and I suppose still lives in J.C. We took dad to Logan, Illinois where dad went to school as a boy and as we looked at the school year books with dad, we saw dad as a little boy! Stephen cherished those photos of our dad as a child.

Saw Steve again when we came home for dad's funeral, Oct. 2017.  Richard and I  spent about 3 nights with Stephen. He loved to share our quiet times together in the reading of God's Word. We had a good visit, although he was very sick. I loved to cook for Stephen. He LOVED BACON AND EGGS.  Miss you dear brother, but so happy you are in in heaven. See ya' soon.  Our last photo together is attached. Nov. 2, 2017.


 Steve was my big brother .... I remember Steve as the  “go to brother” to fix my flat tire on my bike or fix my broken chain.,He taught me how to play ping pong 🏓.... to this day my sons Have a hard time winning at ping-pong with their Mom. Lol
Gave me motor cycle rides ... so cool. 
 Most of all,my remembrance with Steve are our numerous games of Yatzy and dominoes ... he simply could never win playing  with me...lol. We drove our mother crazy with dice rolling.
I loved him. Baby sis, Sonya


Funeral Service

Stephen was preceded in death by his parents, James and Betty Sparks; two sisters, Sally L. Reed and Sara M. Barnard. 

He leaves to cherish his memory, Three brothers, James R. Sparks-Enfield, Il., Samuel S. Sparks (Marsha)-Jackson, Mo, Stanford M. Sparks- Johnston City, Il.; Four sisters, Sandra S. Fulton (Richard) -Woodville Acres, Fl, Stephanie A. Salva-Twin (Joe)- Fayetville, NC, Susan K. Swingle- Marion, Il., Sonya R. Reed (Wesley)-Johnston City, Il

He also leaves to cherish his memory, His former wife Mickey Sparks; Step-children, Kim, Gary, Suri, and Gregory; Step grandchildren, Lynda, Brad, Ashley, Justin, Gillian, Lavena, Nalena, Sarah, and Sofia.

OBITUARY

Stephen Allen Sparks

5 December, 1953 – 7 November, 2018

Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home & Cemetery

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