Ursula W. “Sue” Sparkman, 98, of Plant City, died June 1, 2016.
Mrs. Sparkman was born in Escalon, California, on Aug. 26, 1917. She grew up in Chicago, Illinois. She was a 1935 graduate of the Francis W. Parker School in Chicago and was influenced throughout her life by the unique culture and creative learning experiences she enjoyed there. She graduated from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, with a degree in zoology. She visited Florida in 1940 with her family, where she met her future husband Simeon C. Sparkman. They were married later that year. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Plant City, Alpha Delta Kappa International Honorary Organization for Women Educators and the retired Teacher’s Association of Plant City. She was a volunteer for the South Florida Baptist Hospital Pink Ladies and the East Hillsborough Historical Society. A retired teacher, she served at Tomlin Junior High and Dover and Burney Elementary schools. She was a devoted wife and loving mother, and enjoyed a lifelong love of opera.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 44 years, Simeon C. Sparkman.
She is survived by her sons, Simeon “Tim” Sparkman Jr., of Tampa, Steve Sparkman (Terry), of Plant City, and Bob Sparkman (Samara), of Lutz; grandchildren, Joanna Capo (Chris), of Marietta, Georgia Sparkman, of Brentwood, Tennessee, and Kevin Sparkman (Kim), of Brentwood, Tennessee; great-grandson, Jonathan Capo; and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family thanks Dot Huff for the special care she provided.
A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 18, at First Baptist Church of Plant City, 503 N. Palmer St., Plant City.
Private interment will follow at Dover Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church of Plant City Building Fund, or the Florida Baptist Children’s Home, P.O. Box 8190, Lakeland, Florida 33802, or a charity of choice.
Online condolences may be made at HopewellFuneral.com.