MITCHELL COUNTY, NC - OBITUARIES - Bertie Carver Sparks, 20 Jul 2005
                    --------------¤¤¤¤¤¤--------------

Bertie Carver Sparks' spirit departed this earth on Wednesday, July 20, 2005,
at 8:25 a.m., in Greeneville, Tenn. Mrs. Sparks was a resident of Durham-
Hensley Nursing Home for several years. She was 95. 

She was born to Nettle Hoilman Carver and John Carver on December 29, 1909 in
Unicoi County, Tenn. She grew up in Mitchell County, N.C. She married the
Reverend Farrel Sparks on September 19, 1927. 

Mrs. Sparks is survived by her only child, Billie Betty Sparks Campbell, of
Scottsboro, Ala.; three grandchildren, Sandie Campbell MacKnight and husband
Paul of Sulphur, La., Billy Maynard Campbell and wife Annette of South Sauty,
Ala., and Thomas Farrell Campbell and wife Linda of Sheffield, Ala. Her great-
grandchildren include Eric Campbell and wife Gina, and Shane Campbell and
fiancée Gwen of Guntersville, Ala., Raymond B. "Beau" Christison of
Birmingham, Ala., Jason Campbell of New York, N.Y., Jonathan Campbell of
Scottsboro, Ala., Paul Ware Campbell MacKnight and Claiborne Campbell "CiCi"
MacKnight of Sulphur, La. Mrs. Sparks also had three great-great-
grandchildren, Brantlie Campbell, Ellie Campbell and Dylan Campbell. 

Mrs. Sparks had many special friends throughout her life. One who has been
especially true to visit and check on her during her last years is Mary Lou
McCamy. 

Mrs. Sparks was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; her son-in-law,
Mainard Glen Campbell; her three brothers, Doc, Roy and J.C. Carver; and her
three sisters, Myrtle Carver, Hazel Codgill and Hattie Hopkins. She leaves
behind a host of nieces and nephews. Mrs. Sparks, affectionately known as
"Judy" or "Juda" to her grandchildren, often kept one or more of them during
summer vacations. 

She loved to plant a garden, to pick blueberries or blackberries, to can
vegetables, jams and jellies. Her apple butter and her coconut, chocolate and
apple pies were outstanding. Whenever she had a visitor, she would share her
canned treasures. She loved to quilt and made many which she shared with
friends and family. 

She was the inveterate Freewill Baptist "preacher's wife" at her husband's
side serving various congregations, visiting the "sick and shut-in," attending
church services, helping those who needed help, enjoying fellowship, laughing
often. She would always admonish her family and friends to "follow the lord."
Mrs. Sparks was a spunky woman -- indigenous to Eastern Tennessee/Western
North Carolina. 

Whenever she visited elsewhere and people asked where she was from, she would
say, "Greeneville, Tennessee, Honey," or "Black Mountain, North Carolina,
Honey," as if those places were the center of the universe because, to her,
they were. 

The family will receive friends and relatives on Friday, July 22, from 1 until
2 p.m. at Tetrick Funeral Home. The funeral service for Mrs. Sparks will begin
at 2 p.m. with the Rev. Randy Johnson, minister of Valley Forge Freewill
Baptist Church (where "Miss Bertie's" husband once pastored) and grandson of
Miss Bertie's lifelong friend, Mittie Belle Johnson, will officiate. Interment
will take place following the service in the Sparks Cemetery in Happy Valley
Community. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions
be made to the building fund of Valley Forge Freewill Baptist Church, 1503
Riverview Drive, Elizabethton, TN 37643. Online condolences may be sent to the
family through the Tetrick web site at www.tetrickfuneralhome.com. 

Tetrick Funeral Home, Elizabethton, (423) 542-2232, is in charge of
arrangements.


___________________________________________________________________

	Copyright.  All rights reserved.
	http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm

	This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives 
	by:  The Elizabethton Star	http://www.starhq.com/
___________________________________________________________________