Obit: Sparkes, Archie L. (1890 - 1963)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon

Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Sparkes, McNamara, Theis, Laffe, Fradenburg, Kirby, Burchell, Stuve, Fristad, Markham, Losey, Malinaro

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) January 2, 1964

Sparkes, Archie L. (6 July 1890 - 24 December 1963)

Funeral services were held Friday from St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Humbird for Archie L. Sparkes, 73, of Humbird, who died December 24, in Neillsville.  The Rev. Mathew Malinaro officiated and burial was made in the Mentor Cemetery.

Mr. Sparkes was born July 6, 1890, in Humbird.  He attended Humbird schools and later farmed in that area.  In 1918 he enlisted in the army and served during World War I in France.  He was discharged in 1919.  He returned to farming and also was a rural mail carrier out of the Humbird postoffice.  He worked for the postal department for 42 years.

He served on the town board for several years and the county board until last year.  He also was a director and president of the Production Credit Association of Neillsville for 28 years and retired from that organization on December 1.

Mr. Sparkes was a member of the Melchor-Matti Post No. 320, of the American Legion.

His first wife, the former Mae McNamara, died in 1946.  On May 29, 1948, he was married to the former Anna Theis in Humbird.

He is survived by his wife; and two brothers; Ralph J. Sparkes of Kansas City, Kans., and Henry Sparkes of Eudora, Kans.

A general rosary service was held Thursday evening at the Georgas Funeral Home.

Pallbearers were: Henry Laffe, Archie Fradenburg, Archie Kirby, John Burchell, Raymond Stuve and Nordahl Fristad, all members of the American Legion. Cemetery services were conducted by Melchor-Matti Post 320, of Humbird, with Melvin Markham and Harold Losey in charge.

Members of the Production Credit Association offices attended the service in a body as did the members of the county board.

Those from out of town attending also included Henry Sparkes and Archie J. Sparkes, Eudora, Kans.; Harold Sparkes, Bartlesville, Okla.; Robert and Jack Sparkes, Kansas City, Kans.; and (other names were missing).