He graduated from Cushing High School and attended SFA.
Paul loved his work as a drilling consultant. He spent 35 years in the oil field and made many friends. He was hard to work for because he expected you to give 100% to the job.
Paul loved raising animals. He had registered paints. He raised them, gentle broke them, and then sold them. He also gave many to kids or friends that needed a horse to barrel race, rope off of, or just ride.
He also raised bucking bulls and teamed up with Klein Brothers Rodeo Co. He traveled all over to buck his bulls and loved every minute of it.
He also loved to shoot bows that he had built. He won many archery contests and won world champion twice.
Fishing was a pleasant pastime for him. Be it bass, crappie or bream. He really loved to fly fish for trout on flies he tied himself.
Hunting was another passion. He loved getting ready, putting up stands and planting feed plots. He also loved eating what he shot, be it deer, duck, squirrels, or pheasants.
Most of all he loved his grandsons. He kept them busy learning how to shoot a bow, catch a fish, and shoot a gun. They were his pride and joy.
He embraced his Native American heritage. He attended the Native America Church and many gatherings. He and his wife renewed their wedding vows in a ceremony at Fort Parker. They were also adopted into the Comanche tribe even though they were Choctaw.
Paul was preceded in death by his parents, W.C. Sparks and Pauline Sparks.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Gail Sparks; daughter, Tiffany Sparks of Nacogdoches; son, Chris Sparks and wife Melissa of Longview; step-daughter, Cheri Pickering and husband Dewayne of Paducah, KY; grandsons, Josh Pickering of Paducah, KY, Cody Sparks of Tyler, TX, Clifton Bullard of Nacogdoches, Dillon Sparks and Hayden Sparks of Longview; sister, Polly Niecamp and husband Le Ray of Clute, TX; sister-in-law, Carolyn Stewart and husband Wilson of Nashville, TN; a special nephew, Clay Thomas of Douglass, TX; and faithful companions, Shine and Dotcie.
A memorial service to celebrate Paul’s life will be held, 2:00 PM, Saturday, March 3, 2018, Cason Monk-Metcalf Sunset Chapel, 5400 North Street, Nacogdoches, Texas 75965.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place
Memphis, TN 38105.
