Barbara Lee Sparks, 75, Princeton, MO passed away Thursday, June 1, 2023, at her home.
She was born on December 8, 1947, in Casper, Wyoming the daughter of Winton Dale and Gwendolyn (Dry) Sparks and was raised by Burl Dee and Opal Marie (Sparks) Blakesley.
Barbara was a graduate of Princeton High School in 1965. She then attended Gard’s Business College in St. Joseph, MO, graduating in May of 1966, and earned 6 hours in accounting at North Central Missouri College. She completed an American Medical Record Correspondence Course beginning in 1979 through 1981 and became an accredited record technician. Barbara then began working at Axtell Community Hospital in Princeton from 1969 to 1982. From there she went to work at Princeton Care Center as assistant administrator, secretary, and medical records supervisor from 1982-1983, then at Sullivan County Memorial Hospital as director of medical records from 1983 to 1991, and then as a secretary for a Milan Medical Clinic. After that, she worked as a secretary for the law office of John L. Young, Iowa Vet Supply in Princeton, and then finally as secretary for the First Baptist Church in Princeton. She was also an owner of the West End Car Wash built in 1996.
Barbara was a member of the First Baptist Church of Princeton and Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church. She enjoyed playing church piano, children’s ball games, Sunday School, and Elvis.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Dale Sparks, and sister, Darlene Barrett.
Barbara is survived by her husband, Jerry Lee Sparks of the home; daughters, Tonya (Eric) Saunders, Columbia, MO, Shandra (Dave) Cox, Farmington, MO, and Jerri (Robert) Fry, Bethany, MO and grandchildren, Eric Saunders and Ryan Cox.
Funeral Services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Monday, June 5 at Roberson Funeral Home, Princeton, MO. Burial will follow in Pleasant Ridge Cemetery, Princeton, MO. The family will receive friends from Noon to 1:00 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.
