WHITE HALL -- Edith Sue "Mamaw" Sparks, 85, of White Hall, died June 28, 2003, at her home.

She was born April 17, 1918, at Warren, a daughter of the late Young Williams and Pearl Tate Williams.

She was reared and received her early education at Mansfield, Ohio, and was a graduate of Mansfield High School.

She was a homemaker and a member of Bethany Missionary Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Otis Sparks, whom she married on August 13, 1939, at Hampton; one son, Otis Sparks Jr.; one brother, Jack Williams; and four sisters, Ella Mae Sanders, Katie Howard, Maggie Thompson and Thelma Washington.

Survivors include one daughter, Shirley Henslee of White Hall; one brother, Preston Williams of Mansfield, Ohio; one sister, Ruth Hobgood of Fordyce; two grandsons; and six great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Ralph Robinson and Son Funeral Directors with Tom Hover, the Rev. David Light and the Rev. Pat Callahan officiating. Burial will be in Moseley Cemetery in Bradley County near Warren.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.

The family will be at 6503 Cimmaron at White Hall.

Memorials may be made to Bethany Missionary Baptist Family Life Center, 7122 Sheridan Road, Pine Bluff, AR 71602.

Eagle Democrat 29 August 2001

Otis C. “Papaw” Sparks, 84, died August 21, 2001, at Jefferson Regional Medical Center.

Born August 1, 1917, in Cleveland County, he was a son of the late Oscar Sparks and Elizabeth Parrott Sparks.

He was reared and educated at New Edinburg (Cleveland County). He moved to Mansfield, Ohio, and was employed by Hartman Electric Company. He moved to Pine Bluff in 1943 and was employed by the Pine Bluff Arsenal, where he retired from in the early 1970s as a machinist supervisor.

He joined the Army in 1945 and fought during World War II. He was discharged in 1946.

He was a member of Bethany Missionary Baptist Church. According to his family, he was a family man and enjoyed working in his yard.

Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Edith Sue Williams Sparks; one daughter, Shirley Sparks Henslee of White Hall; two sisters, Agness Moseley and Pat Baker, both of Warren; two grandsons, and six great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by one son, Otis C. “Sparky” Sparks, Jr., four brothers, Oscar Sparks, Charles Sparks, Eugene Sparks, and Bill Sparks; and one sister, Lucille McMullen.

Funeral services were Friday at Ralph Robinson & Son Funeral Directors with the Rev. Tom Hover and the Rev. Pat Callahan officiating. Burial was in Moseley Cemetery in Bradley County.

Memorials may be made in the form of contributions to Bethany Missionary Baptist Family Life Center, 7122 Sheridan Road, Pine Bluff, AR 71602.