Marilyn Marie Sparks

A Visitation for Marilyn will be held Wednesday, November 5, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Laurel Land – Rose Hill Funeral Home, 7301 East Lancaster Ave, Fort Worth, Texas 76112, with a Celebration of Life starting at 12:00 PM, with Pastor Phil Heinze officiating. Burial to follow at Laurel Land – Rose Hill Memorial Park.

Marie was born in Mount Vernon, Texas to Johnnie and Ruby Gilbert on September 13, 1927. She went to school at Mount Vernon High School and graduated when she was 16, and then worked on her family farm until she was 17. The day after the harvest, she got on the bus for Fort Worth and went to work for Southwestern Bell phone company, from where she retired in 1988.

She married Theophilus Sparks in Fort Worth, Texas in 1947. She spent her retirement traveling with her husband and grandsons, and was the original scrapbooker, making photo albums of their travels for each of her grandsons. She also was the number one fan for the family band the Blarney Brothers.

Marie is preceded in death by her husband, Theophilus Sparks and daughter Elaine Sparks Christian.

Marie is survived by her son David Sparks and wife Leanne, son-in-law Randy Christian, sisters Gay Pryor, and Joyce Glover, grandchildren Rodger Harrison and wife Jennifer, Stephen Harrison and wife Melissa, great grandchildren Random Logan Harrison, Zachary Harrison, Victoria Punnackal and husband Kevin, Justin Zielinski, and many loved ones including great-great grandchildren and cousins, nieces and nephews.