Hoyt Sparks

Mr. Sparks was born in Provencal, Louisiana, on May 29, 1917, to Florence Wagley and Thomas T. Sparks and went to dwell in the House of the Lord forever on April 8, 2013. He attended high school in Robeline, LA, and graduated from Northwestern State in Natchitoches, LA. He served as a Lieutenant J. G. in the U.S. Navy during WWII, in Japan and Brazil. He was a Vocational Rehabilitation counselor with the LA State Dept. of Education for 30 years. He was employed as the counselor of the first office which opened in Lake Charles in 1950. For many years he was an active member of Trinity Baptist Church, serving as deacon, men’s Sunday School Class teacher, and director of the church bus ministry. He was a scoutmaster at the second National Boy Scout Jamboree, Valley Forge, PA in 1950 with a troop from Natchitoches, and later was a scoutmaster for Troop 22 in Lake Charles. He was an avid fisherman, hunter, and gardener, and devoted husband and father.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife of 50 years, Joy Burnham Sparks; one sister, Shawnee Conlay; and 5 brothers, Jack, Clement, Melvin, Bill and Truitt.

He is survived by one daughter, Joy Sparks DeVille and husband, Bob; one son, Phil Burnham Sparks of Kenner, LA; one brother, Thomas Glenn Sparks of LaBelle, TX; one sister-in-law, Lucille Fullerton Sparks of Natchitoches, LA; and many nieces and nephews.

He and his family thank God for His loving kindness, and appreciate the prayers and thoughtfulness of family, friends, neighbors, and his very special caregivers. (John 17:3)