OBITUARY from the Herald-Palladium Sunday May 10th, 2009:
GEORGE SPARKE
ST. JOSEPH - George Sparke Jr. , 69, of St. Joseph formerly of Ohio, passed away Friday May 8, 2009. Friends may call from 4 to 8pm with the Rosary recited at 5:30pm with Fr. William J. Jacobs on Monday, May 11th at Starks and Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd. St. Joseph. Memorial donations may be made to the Sparke Family. Those wishing to share a memory or sign the guestbook on-line may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Visitation will also be held at the Hale Sarver Funeral Home, 284 N. Miami St. in W. Milton, Ohio, from 4 to 8pm on Wednesday May 13th.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 12:30pm Thursday, May 14th, at Transfiguration Church, 972 S. Miami St. West Milton, Ohio, with visitation from 10am until 12 Noon. Burial will be held in Riverside Cemetary in Troy, Ohio.
George was born April 30, 1940,in Cincinnati, Ohio, to George and Camille (Ostendorf) Sparke Sr. He graduated from Elder High School in Cincinnati. George served his country in the Navy for four years. He received his associates degree in engineering from Edison College in Piqua, Ohio. On Jan 24, 1998 he maried Teoginesa "Gigi" Sparke in Ohio. George worked for Procter & Gamble for five years in Ohio, Hobart Corporation for 15 years in Ohio, and Whirlpool in Dayton, Ohio, and the Benton Harbor division for 18 years. George was a member of the St. John's/St. Bernard's Knights of Columbus and was an active member of the right to life movement. In his spare time, he enjoyed fishing, hunting, bowling, Motorcycling and primitive camping. George also was studying to be a nurse at Lake Michigan College.
George was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Carol Sparke; and brother, James Sparke. He is survived by his wife, Gigi Sparke of St. Joseph; one brother, Michael (Caroline) Sparke of Ohio; niece, Lisa; 12 children - Christopher (Jackie) Sparke of Texas, Susan (Dennis) Webb of Ohio, Michele Weaver of Ohio, George "Scott" (Sandra) Sparke of Ohio, Ann (Phil) Smith of Texas, Paul (Henriekha) Sparke of Texas, Matthew Sparke of Ohio, Jason (Rachel) Sparke of Indiana, Geralynn (Matt) Vaughn of Ohio, Sarah (Jeremy) Bubeck of Ohio, Elizabeth (Josh) Porter of Ohio and Sister Mary Kathleen Sparke of N.M; 16 grandchildren - Stephan, Jennifer, Jessica, Heather, David, Julie, Shelb, Andrew, Thomas, Gavin, Garrett, Lillian, Jeremiah, Michelle, Christopher and Matthew; and eight great-grandchildren.