Betty C. Sparks

Betty enjoyed having fun and taking great care of her family. She was a very talented seamstress making many formal dresses upon request. Once she made a Flower Girl dress to match the bride’s dress using only the Bride’s visual description.

Betty was an avid gardener - truly loved pulling weeds, especially Dandelions. She kept their large yard (and their daughters’) virtually weed free. With her husband she planted a huge garden every year, tended it, picked the veggies and canned them. She taught all the daughters and granddaughters how to make tomato juice, and can and freeze vegetables.

Betty loved to knit and crochet, making up patterns as needed for bottle cozies, stadium blankets, sweaters, tablecloths, baby outfits, and even dog sweaters to match ones made for the master’s.

Betty was very good at bowling, winning numerous trophies through the years. She flew several times to Las Vegas with the bowling team. Not to bowl but to play the “games.” She never drank any booze on these trips. She also loved playing Bingo.

A well-loved baby sitter was, of course, Gramma Sparks. (Better known by the Wierengo Grandchildren as Gramma White-House.) (The other Gramma was known as Gramma Green- House.) Each of the five grandkids have different memories about their stays with Gramma Sparks, but all agree that the best times were had when she agreed to play games with them. She would always say yes, but first said “Okay, just let me get a cup of tea.” The kids also remember that Grandma “cooked” for them in those same cups…scrambled eggs and sausage links, even spaghetti with Grandma’s canned tomatoes on top. They played sitting on the floor and she never let them win. They all knew that if they won, it was on their own merit.

Every summer Betty Carol’s whole family would rent all of the cottages around the Bayou on Hamlin Lake, Ludington. They would fish frommorning ‘til evening. The children would fish from the docks. Gramma would put on more worms and minnows than you can imagine, and removed many “Fishes.” The children also caught many frogs of all sizes. This led to the enjoyment of deli meals of Frog Legs.

Betty attended the Central Assembly of God Church in Twin Lake, with her friends from “Families Manor.” In an attempt to make sure of her Mom’s salvation with Jesus, one of the daughters asked her, “Mama, if you were to die today, do you know where you’d go?” To which Betty responded, “I’d go to Heaven, where in the hell do you think I’d go?”

Betty is survived by two daughters, Tammie (Rick) Wierengo and Candy (Jerry) Whitman, five grandchildren; Joy Whitman-Becker (Bryan Peters), Jason (Mary) Whitman, Chadick (Lacie) Wierengo, Tiffany Wierengo (Brian Elmore), and Jordan (Ashley) Wierengo; 21 great grandchildren, and two sisters, Dixie (Bill) West and Gloria (Paul) Malarik. Betty was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years - Bertram Sparks, and two brothers, James and Robert. Funeral services will be held on Friday, August 18, 2017, at Ever Rest Funeral Home at 1:00 p.m. There will be visitation one hour prior to the funeral. Burial will be in Egelston Township Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the family for donation in Betty’s name to her favorite charities.

Please remember, as you live your life, as Betty always said,

“Keep on the road, don’t head for the rhubarb.”

Betty Carol - A life well-lived.