Barbara Jane Sparks

Barbara Jane Sparks was born September 19, 1944 to Roy and Prudie Sparks in Breckenridge, Texas and passed away August 6, 2024. Barbara lived in Breckenridge until 1952 when she and her mother Prudie moved to Fort Worth. She graduated as Salutatorian of her high school class at Carter Riverside High School in 1963. Following high school, she attended Draughn Business School.

The following year in August 1964 Barbara began a 37-year career with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and its predecessor agency, HHFA, in its Fort Worth Regional Office. She began as a GS-4 Clerk-Typist in the Urban Renewal Division. In 1970 she was promoted to Secretary to the Area Counsel of the new Dallas Area Office. Barbara then went through the intensive Urban Intern training program and served most of her career as a Housing Rep in Multifamily Housing, Section 8, and Public Housing of the Dallas Area Office meeting with mayors and other city officials in Texas and New Mexico implementing HUD programs.

She continued that work after a 1983 transfer back to HUD’s FW Regional Office where she was given many special assignments and received numerous awards, outstanding ratings, and most notably an invitation by First Lady Rosalynn Carter to a 1980 White House reception. She mentored young women in HUD’s Adopt-A-School program 1988-1991. Barbara retired in January 2002 as a GS-13 Revitalization Specialist. She was a member of the Fort Worth Chapter of the Executive Women in Government (EWIG) of the Dallas/Fort Worth Federal Executive Board (FEB) in 1996.

From 1980 to 2014, Barbara was active in the Meadowbrook Business and Professional Women’s (BPW) Club participating in events at the district/regional level and state conventions. At Meadowbrook BPW she served as President from 1996-1997. She also served in almost every other officer position as well as numerous committees. Barbara was named Meadowbrook BPW Woman of the Year for 1999-2000.

Barbara loved traveling with her mother and her sister Shirley. Some of their most memorable trips were to Canada, London, Switzerland, Italy, France, Germany, and Hawaii. After retirement, she began to enjoy her favorite hobbies of scrapbooking, reading, caring for and loving her animals and especially shopping and finding the best bargains. Barbara’s most treasured things in life were her family and her dog Molly.

She is survived by her Aunt Betty Ramos of Bedford, niece Martha Casey and husband Bud of Mineral Wells, nephew James Hall of Keller, great nephews Michael Shockley and wife Terri and Jamie Shockley and wife Tonya, great niece Megan Lusty and husband Heath, great-great nieces Amber and Breanna Shockley, Emily and Sara Hobson, Madison Wilson, great-great nephew Joseph Lusty and one great-great-great niece Everleigh Peters. She has also left behind countless close friends and club members.

She was preceded in death by parents, sister Shirley Hall, and brothers Sonny Sparks and Bobby Sparks, and her beloved dog Molly.

A memorial service will be held at Laurel Land Funeral home on September 16, 2024.