1920
John
2010
John Nathan Sparks
February 26, 1920 — June 17, 2010
John Nathan Sparks Jr., 90, a resident of Monmouth, passed away on June 17, 2010, in Independence.
He was born on February 26, 1920, in Grandin, Missouri, where he grew up. He attended elementary school in West Eminence and Grandin, and graduated from high school in Ellsinore, Missouri.
After high school, John was employed with Missouri Lumber and Mining company and T.J. Moss Tie Company, until he enrolled in S.E. Missouri State Teacher's College where he joined the Civil Air Patrol and became a pilot. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, John joined the US Navy where he was a radioman. He was stationed in Chicago, where he acted as a guard at the University of Chicago for what he later found out was the atomic bomb project. Later he served in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska.
Upon his discharge, he moved to Roseburg where his parents lived and paid his way through college working in his father's sawmill in Yoncalla. He met Lois Mobley while she was a sophomore, and they were married on August 30, 1946.
After graduation, John worked for the State of Oregon Division of Audits in Salem, where he lived with his family. John moved his family to Monmouth, OR in 1960, where he worked at Oregon College of Education. He became the Director of Business Affairs and taught accounting until his retirement in 1982.
After his "retirement" John served the City of Monmouth as a city councilman, taught accounting and business at Judson Bible Baptist College, and served as executer or trustee of several estates. His hobbies included running, and following the stock market. He was a member of the Baptist Church, the Monmouth Christian Church and the American Legion.
He is survived by his wife Lois Sparks, sons John Sparks and Brad Sparks, daughter Teddie Scott, eight grandchildren, six great grandchildren and his sister Rusty Odland.
A celebration of life will be held at Monmouth Christian Church on Monday, June 28, 2010, at 3 pm. A private cremation was held at Farnstrom Cremation Center, with Farnstrom Mortuary entrusted with arrangements.
Memorials may be made to the Monmouth Christian Church or the Salvation Army.
He was born on February 26, 1920, in Grandin, Missouri, where he grew up. He attended elementary school in West Eminence and Grandin, and graduated from high school in Ellsinore, Missouri.
After high school, John was employed with Missouri Lumber and Mining company and T.J. Moss Tie Company, until he enrolled in S.E. Missouri State Teacher's College where he joined the Civil Air Patrol and became a pilot. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, John joined the US Navy where he was a radioman. He was stationed in Chicago, where he acted as a guard at the University of Chicago for what he later found out was the atomic bomb project. Later he served in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska.
Upon his discharge, he moved to Roseburg where his parents lived and paid his way through college working in his father's sawmill in Yoncalla. He met Lois Mobley while she was a sophomore, and they were married on August 30, 1946.
After graduation, John worked for the State of Oregon Division of Audits in Salem, where he lived with his family. John moved his family to Monmouth, OR in 1960, where he worked at Oregon College of Education. He became the Director of Business Affairs and taught accounting until his retirement in 1982.
After his "retirement" John served the City of Monmouth as a city councilman, taught accounting and business at Judson Bible Baptist College, and served as executer or trustee of several estates. His hobbies included running, and following the stock market. He was a member of the Baptist Church, the Monmouth Christian Church and the American Legion.
He is survived by his wife Lois Sparks, sons John Sparks and Brad Sparks, daughter Teddie Scott, eight grandchildren, six great grandchildren and his sister Rusty Odland.
A celebration of life will be held at Monmouth Christian Church on Monday, June 28, 2010, at 3 pm. A private cremation was held at Farnstrom Cremation Center, with Farnstrom Mortuary entrusted with arrangements.
Memorials may be made to the Monmouth Christian Church or the Salvation Army.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of John Nathan Sparks, please visit our flower store.
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