Claude "Roger" Sparks

Roger Sparks proudly served in the United State Marine Corps during the Vietnam War as a grunt. His year of service and combat injuries earned him a Purple Heart and shaped much of his life. Once a Marine, always a Marine. Roger was active in Healing Waters and was happy hanging out with other Vets swapping stories. He spent his last few months enjoying the company of other veterans with dementia at Sitter & Barfoot Veterans Care Center in Richmond, Virginia.

For 35 years, Roger worked construction and would come home proudly smelling like hogan’s goat after a hard day on the job. As a member of ASHE and Superintendent for Lionberger Construction, Roger’s oversaw projects at The Homestead in Bath County, Mariner’s Landing at Smith Mountain Lake, Truck Enterprise in Harrisonburg, Burris Hall at JMU, the Student Center at Radford, and the New River Valley Medical Center in Christiansburg, just to name a few.

Roger knew it was a dog eat dog world, and he was wearing Milkbone underwear. And, after being laid off during the 2008 recession, he struggled to find a job that would tolerate his gruff and unfiltered communication style. There’s always a need for elementary school bus drivers and his final paychecks came from Augusta County Schools. Roger took a shine to going on field trips and giving talks about Vietnam and the Galapagos Islands to 5th graders.

He loved adventure and traveled to Ecuador and the Galapagos many times. He never met a stranger or a food he wasn’t willing to try. From ants to guinea pigs, Roger would eat anything but liver.

Roger Sparks was a lifelong member of Stuarts Draft Baptist Church. He’ll be excited to join his parents Andy Nathan Sparks and Helen Viola Sparks in Heaven. Alongside them will be friends Swep and Jackie and a motley crew of crusty old farts that he spent hours drinking coffee with at the 7-11 in the Draft.

He is survived by his patient and loving wife Rosemary Sparks, ashley sparks, brothers Terry and Ned (Martha) Sparks.

Visitation will be at Stuarts Draft Baptist Church on Friday November 18 from 5-7pm. Please come and take a hat with you as a token. We have to get rid of the 100s of hats he had.

A memorial service will be at Stuarts Draft Baptist Church on Saturday November 19 at 3pm.

Graveside service will be at Calvary Methodist Church on Sunday November 20 at 2pm.

In lieu of flowers (he would have just mowed over them), buy a cup of coffee for someone at the 7-11.

Those wishing may share a memory or an online condolence by visiting www.reynoldshamrickfuneralhomes.com

Arrangements entrusted to the Stuarts Draft Chapel of Reynolds Hamrick Funeral Homes.