Sharon Kay Sparks, the daughter of Albert and Lela (Gold) Loeffler, was born February 16, 1949 in Sharpsburg, Iowa. Sharon attended school in Ravenwood Missouri, graduating from Ravenwood High School in 1967. She was then employed at the A & W Drive-in and Wards Drive-in as a car hop and waitress, and later the Kings Cafe and Truck Stop, all in Maryville, Missouri.

On July 8, 1967, Sharon was united in marriage to Gary A. Sparks at the Baptist Church in Maryville. They made their home in Tarkio, where Sharon worked as a cook and waitress in numerous restaurants and cafe’s in the area. A few of them included the Coach House and the Top Kick in Rock Port, the Blue Moon Bar and Grill, the Wagon Wheel, the Tarkio College cafeteria and the Walnut Inn, all in Tarkio. Sharon was later employed by Grebe’s Machine Shop as a parts lady and bookkeeper, by Big A Auto Parts, and most recently as a part-time cashier and bookkeeper at Pamida, also in Tarkio. In 1986, Sharon and Gary opened Sparks Hunting and Fishing Shop in their home on Elm Street. They later moved the shop into the garage behind their home, which remains open to the present time.

Sharon passed away Thursday, July 27, 2006 at Heartland Regional Medical Center, St. Joseph, Missouri at the age of 57 years.

Survivors include her husband, Gary, of the home, Tarkio; two sons, Gary R Sparks and his wife, Donna and Wayne Sparks, all of Tarkio; one daughter, Melinda Curtis and her husband D.J., Rock Port; special family friend, Clint Lambert, Hiawatha, Kansas; eight grandchildren, Billy, Robert, Caci, Shaylee, Donna Marie, Asia, Alexis and Zavien; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Besides her parents, Sharon was preceded in death by one brother Robert Loeffler.

Services were held Wed. August 2, 2006 at 1:30 pm, at Davis Funeral Home, Tarkio, with interment at Home cemetery, Tarkio. Memorials may be directed to the Sparks Hunting and Fishing Shop, Tarkio.