OBITUARY: Enoch Thomas Sparks, Robert Lee, Coke County, TX, September 17, 1937 Submitted by Elsie Airaghi April 9, 2006 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.org/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.org/tx/txfiles.htm ********************************************************************* Robert Lee Oberver, September 1937 ROBERT LEE LOSES AN OLD-TIME CITIZEN ENOCH THOMAS SPARKS, a native Texan and a resident of Coke County for the greater part of his life, died in the Shannon Memorial Hospital at San Angelo Thursday night, September 17. Mr. SPARKS was born at Hanes Creek, Johnson County, Texas, on November 28, 1877. While he was yet a small child his parents moved to Coke county. In young manhood he worked with various cattle outfits in West Texas and New Mexico. He married Miss ANNIE COBB, December 15, 1900, in Roswell, N. M. For a while the couple lived at Midland, but in 1903 they came to Coke county which has been the family home since. Thirteen children were born to this union, nine of whom survive. They are; W. M. SPARKS, of Oil Center, N. M., CALVIN SPARKS of Fort Clark, CURTIS and S. B. SPARKS of Robert Lee, Mrs. CURTIS STEWART and Mrs. GARVIS SWANSON, of Roswell N. M., Mrs. ALBERT BLAIR, GERALDINE and RUBY JO SPARKS of Robert Lee. He is also survived by the widow, one sister, Mrs. JOE HARMON, of Midland, and eight grandchildren. Aside from his regular occupation of farming and stock raising, Mr. Sparks has served the public in several capacities. He owned and operated the first public water-works in Robert Lee, pumping water from the Colorado River. The city bought the water mains when the present system was installed. He was public weigher for a number of years and also served as commissioner. Funeral services, conducted by Rev. J. D. COLEMAN and Rev. LEWIS STUCKEY, were held at the Robert Lee Baptist Church, Saturday afternoon. Pallbearers were; MARVIN STEWART, FELIX PEAYS, A. E. LATHAM, W. E. NEWTON, AND BEN STEFFEY, WILLIS SMITH AND McNEIL WYLIE. Flower girls were, BRYCE STEWART, NINA GRAMLING, LORENE FIKES and EDNA WALKER. Relatives who came from a distance to attend the last rites were, Mrs. CURTIS STEWART and children and Mr. and Mrs. GARVIS SWANSON and children of Roswell N. M., Mr. and Mrs. W. M. SPARKS and children of Oil Center N. M., CALVIN SPARKS of Fort Clark and Mr. and Mrs. JOE HARMON of Midland. All except CALVIN SPARKS returned the first of the week.