Clear, 59° F
(July 10, 2001)
A memorial service was conducted July 23 at the First Baptist Church in Basin for Donald Laurence Sparks, 65, who died July 10 at his home in La Verkin, Utah.
Mr. Sparks was the father of Dona Lynn Becker of Powell.
He was born Jan. 25, 1936, in Worland, son of Evelyn (Ingalls) and Johnny Sparks. He attended school in Worland briefly, and then in Greybull as the family moved to the Otto/Burlington area.
At age 17, he joined the U.S. Marines and served from 1953 to 1961. Returning from his stint in Korea, as sergeant, he was stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C., where he became a heavy equipment operator.
After his discharge, he worked in Riverton and Basin for Gordon Sykes Construction for several years.
In 1961, he married Sally Ann Butler, and they had two children, whom they raised in Basin.
He farmed in the Burlington/Otto area before buying Minter Auto Supply in Greybull. The name changed to Sparks Auto Supply and was later sold. He was part owner of the Tri-Pak Construction and was also a locksmith in the Basin/Greybull area.
In 1989, he married Joyce Farris. Later they moved to La Verkin where he was a supervisor for the St. George Welding Co. at the time of his death.
Survivors include his wife in Utah; one daughter, Dona Lynn Becker and husband Bob of Powell; one son, Grant Sparks of Riverton; his mother, Evelyn Sparks, of Basin; one brother, Wayne Sparks and wife Carol of Basin; one sister, Loralee Clause and husband Larry of Las Vegas, Nev.; and two granddaughters, Cassaundra Lynn and Samantha Becker, both of Powell; a nephew, Rick Spraks of Basin and his wife Marie; and numerous other nieces and nephews.
Cremation has taken place. Memorials may be made to the Security State Bank in Basin for the American Heart Association.
