Mary Asay Sparks
January 13, 1913 — May 17, 2014
Mary Asay Sparks, 101, Beloved Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, Great-Great-Grandmother, aunt, sister and friend, went to be with her Heavenly Father and family on May 17, 2014, at her home in Mesquite, NV.
She was born in Cowley, Wyoming on January 13, 1913, the daughter of Theodore Parmer Asay and Mary Probin Dutton Asay. She was the youngest of 10 children. She married William (Bill) Sparks on October 31, 1934 in Thermopolis, Wyoming. Of this marriage 4 children were born. They had only 14 years together when the love of her life was called home to be with our Savior at the early age of 39 years. In the early years of their marriage they moved quite frequently as he worked construction throughout Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska and Colorado. They finally settled down in Lovell, Wyoming to raise their family.
Mary never remarried after her husband passed away, but devoted her life to raising her four children. She worked at a number of places including The Shoshone Grocery Store, at Haskell's Funeral Home and Furniture Store, the school lunch room and washing and ironing for a number of families. Times were hard, but she always provided for her children. In 1988 she moved to Mesquite, NV to be near her daughter.
Mary was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many callings throughout her life. She served as a primary teacher, teacher and counselor in the MIA, and President of the Relief Society.
Mary was a loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and great great grandmother, who loved nothing more than spending time with them. She was able to travel the US and spent time in Japan. She will be greatly missed by all of her family. We will miss her sweet smile & laugh, but most of all her stories of her life and her songs to her grandchildren.
Mary is survived by her Children Mary Lee Waters of Mesquite, NV, Keith (Yasue) Sparks of Colorado Springs, CO and Dennis (Jackie) Sparks of Cheyenne, Wyoming, 17 Grandchildren, 47 Great-Grandchildren and 19 Great-Great-Grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Theodore and Mary Asay, her 9 brothers and sisters, her husband, Bill Sparks, one son Ted Sparks, and one grand-son Joshua Sparks.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 24, 2014 at 9:00 AM in Lovell, WY. Burial will take place in the Cowley, Wyoming Cemetery where she will be buried next to her husband.