Ruth "Buttercup" G. Sparks

When Ruth was eleven her and her parents along with her brother Carl and her mother’s cousin, left from Copenhagen on a ten day voyage to begin a new life in America. They took a train to Albany, NY where they were to be received by friends of her parents. No-one ever showed up to the train station. They were able to eventually purchase some land and build a house where they raised chickens. Her and her brother attended all of their formative schooling in a 2-room school. The family later relocated to Troy, NY with the Danish settlement. Her father opened a butcher shop where the family sold Danish sausage and they all became members of the Danish Church.

After the United States declared war in 1941, Ruth decided to follow in her brother Carl’s military path and joined the second recruitment of US Navy WAVES. She was forever proud of her military career with WAVES. Ruth attended AMM training in Memphis TN and served as an Aviation Machinist Mate 3rd class at Corpus Christi Naval Air Station and was honorably discharged in 1945. She decided to settle her roots in south Texas and brought her parents from New York to join her and soon after met the love of her life, Sidney “Sparky” A. Sparks in Alice, TX. They were married Thanksgiving Day 1960 and shared 36 beautiful years together. They enjoyed many cruises and a combined love for reading, fishing and Ruth’s favorite pastimes of knitting and playing piano. Her beloved Sparky passed away on August 18, 1996.

Ruth is preceded in death by her parents and her husband and is survived by her niece Patricia Bailey, stepchildren Thomas Sparks and his wife Linda, Stephen Sparks and his wife Suzanna, Sebio Carpio and his wife Lucy as well as numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and very close family friends. She was dearly loved and will be forever missed by all the lives she has touched.

A Funeral service will be held for “Buttercup” on Friday February 7, 2020 at Sunset Funeral Home with burial to follow at Sunset Memorial Park. Friends and family are invited to share a Fellowship Luncheon Gathering following the burial at Sunset Fellowship Hall.