Lillian Ida Wagener Sparks

Lillian Ida Wagener Sparks, 94, of Inez passed away Thursday, September 17, 2015. She was born April 13, 1921 in Yorktown to the late Adolph Lewis and Ida Sauermilch Wagener. She was a member of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Inez.

Survivors include her daughter, Joyce Veilleux of Inez; step-daughter, Patricia Rochat and husband, Kenneth of Sabinal; son, David L. Sparks and wife, Susie of Cuero; 13 grandchildren and step-grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren.

In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husband, Virgil L. Sparks; her son, V. L. Sparks, Jr.; brothers, Wilbert Wagener and Rufus Wagener; grandson, Clay Sparks; step-daughter, Shirley Hadley; daughter of her heart, Jimmie Sparks Pavlik; and sister of her heart and lifelong friend, Madlen Theus.

The family will receive friends Monday, September 21, 2015, from 12:30 – 2:00 pm at Rosewood Funeral Chapels. Funeral services will begin at 2:00 pm. Burial will follow in Memory Gardens Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Timothy Veilleux, James Sparks, Ray Sparks, Wade Sparks, Clint Sparks, Curtis Poland, Bill Poland and Jeff Rochat.

Honorary pallbearers will be James Maraggia, Frank Maraggia, Tony Maraggia, Roger Barnett, Wayne Kubeca and Wilford Becker.

Memorials may be made to Inez Emmanuel Lutheran Church Building Fund, P. O. Box 309, Inez, Texas, 77968 or Friends of William Wood,c/o Linda Kucera, 1045 Hosek Road, Victoria, Texas, 77905.

Words of comfort may be shared at www.rosewoodfuneralchapel.com.

The obituary as it appeared in the Victoria Advocate on Sunday, September 20 2015:

Lillian Ida Wagener Sparks, 94, of Inez passed away Thursday, September 17, 2015, to be with her Lord and Savior.

Lillian was the youngest of three children, born on April 13, 1921, in Yorktown to Adolph Lewis and Ida Sauermilch Wagener. She was a member of the Emmanuel Lutheran Church of Inez.

Growing up, Lillian always loved polka and waltz dancing. At the age of 17, she married her sweetheart, Virgil Sparks, a widower who had two lovely girls, Shirley and Patricia. Over the next eight years, they had three more children, V. L., David, and Joyce Veilleux. The family grew even more with the marriage of their daughter-in-law, Jimmie, into the Pavlik family, who considered Lillian their own grandmother.

Lillian was a woman of faith who loved to serve the Lord and her community. She was a sponsor of the Luther League. Lillian and her husband, Virgil, were also instrumental in contributing an abundant amount of time and effort to help reopen the William Wood Elementary School in Wood Hi. In her later years, Lillian completed a financial management course through Texas A&M University to compliment her husband’s pending retirement.

Lillian was a loving wife, a wonderful mother and grandmother. She was a great cook who knew how to enjoy life. Lillian was also a member of the “Red Hat Lady” Society, and Lillian and Virgil were avid members of the Dance Club of DaCosta. It is comforting to know that she and Virgil are up in heaven together, continuing to dance in the company of longtime friends, Herbert and Ethel Heller, as they all dance among the angels.

The family will receive friends Monday, September 21, 2015, from 12:30 - 2:00 pm at Rosewood Funeral Chapels. Funeral services will begin at 2:00 pm. Burial will follow in Memory Gardens Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Inez Emmanuel Lutheran Church Building Fund, P. O. Box 309, Inez, Texas, 77968, or Friends of William Wood c/o Linda Kucera, 1045 Hosek Road, Victoria, Texas, 77905.

The family would like to extend special thanks to her caregivers, Rosetta, Jennifer, Andrea, Debra, Pam and Checobe.

Words of comfort may be shared at www.rosewoodfuneralchapel.com.