Richard Leroy Sparks Sr.

In the small town of Centerville, Oskaloosa Iowa was born a great and loving man on March 10, 1944, to Daniel Leroy Sparks and Pearl Irene Evans Sparks.

At the age of 4 his father was the pastor of the Sully Community Babtist Church. Richard and his sisters: Carol, Martha, Phylis and parents lived in the parsonage next door.

His father had been shoveling snow all day and suddenly dropped to his knees. Sadly, struck down with a Cerebral Hemorrhage this dear father was taken at the age of only 39!

Suddenly Mother Pearl had four young children to raise on her own. This wonderful woman later became my beloved mother-in-law and lived to be 100 years and five months old.

Women didn’t have careers and such back then. But she was very diligent, faithful and smart and managed an income that often included several jobs and businesses. Richard was also raised by many wonderful aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents who helped him to achieve much in his lifetime.

He managed high school with tennis, other sports and playing the tuba in the band. He also skipped a grade. He was very tall and later grew to be 6 ft 5 inches. He shoveled snow and mowed lawns to cover his expenses as to not be a financial burden to his mother. They later moved to Arizonia as Grandma had asthma. After graduation Richard enlisted in the Air Force and served in Vietnam. He played soft Pitch Softball as a pitcher while he was there. He also went water skiing in the Saigon River Until the enemy took shots at him.

Meanwhile, there was a pretty girl who waited for him. Her name was GeNeal Myers and they were in love!!! After she graduated from BYU with a degree in nursing they married in 1969. He attended Weber State and won the Big Sky Competition for tennis.

Now Richard was not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints, but she was. This must have been where her great faith came in. They married and later he was baptized. Then they were sealed In the Salt Lake Temple. Hurrah!!

Five lively youngsters followed. Rick, Randy, Robert, Christy and Connie. He worked at the Kansas City Board of Trade as they served in the church. He was also the district Leader over the sports program for the church. Right after his baptism he became extremely ill and was given over 30 units of blood while pregnant GeNeal traveled back and forth to see him for only an hour at a time. There were plenty of hardships, but she took them in stride.

He was inspired to move his family to Utah and work for the church in agricultural marketing. He taught at BYU. Rick and Rob served missions.

Later, he worked for The State as co-director of marketing. Thus, Utah’s Own was created to help many businesses to succeed. His family followed him to many softball games as he pitched.

During a big family reunion in California GeNeal was suddenly stricken with a pulmonary embolus. She passed away in August 2005. A grief-stricken Richard drove back to Utah with Christy to prepare for her funeral. This whole family was turned upside down! The loss and sadness for this family was incomprehensible.

Richard was never meant to be alone. He served as a veil worker in the Ogden Temple. Eventually he met and married Sheryl Lynn Pearson in the Bountiful Temple. They built a house in Syracuse and remained in Syracuse until his death in the Buffalo Ridge Ward. He was always plagued with Crohn’s disease and kidney disease requiring dialysis. His last seven years he struggled with health issues with his wife as his caregiver, never giving up, always humble, filled with hope.

Richard was a good member of the Church serving in many capacities such as High Priests Group Leader and Elders Quorum President several times. He was a good missionary and always honored his Priesthood. He was well loved for his kindness, integrity, compassion, and above all, his courage. He also served as Chairman of his political Precinct.

He loved golf and had several golfing buddies he played with regularly, his favorite being his son Rick. Richard loved family and he loved his grandchildren, especially his newest baby granddaughter Sadie. He has 20 grandchildren. Most of all he had a strong testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, He dearly loved his Savior!

Richard is survived by his wife Sheryl, his children: Rick Sparks {Cami}, Randy Sparks {Lyndi}, Robert Sparks {Barbara}, Connie Davies, and Christy Hoyle {Jeff Hoyle}, Stepchildren: Joseph Pearson and Julia Zerkle {John}. He is Preceded in death by GeNeal Sparks, John Pearson, Kevin Davies, and his mother and father Daniel and Pearl Evans Sparks

Funeral Services will be held Saturday May 23, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at the Buffalo Ridge Ward, 2500 South Bluff Road, Syracuse, Utah. Friends may visit with family and friends Friday May 22, 2026, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Lindquist’s Layton Mortuary, 1867 No. Fairfield Rd. Layton, and Saturday from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. at the church. Interment at Lindquist’s Memorial Park at Layton.

We wish to gratefully thank all the medical personnel of IHC Layton Hospital, McKay Dee ICU, Rocky Mountain Care and Hospice at McKay Dee Hospital. Especially all the prayers from those friends, ward members at the Buffalo Ridge Ward and loving family and grandchildren.

We love you Grandpa!!