(Mr. David Leon Sparks, July 3^rd, 1947-October 21^st, 2008)

Vietnam War Veteran, Welder at Ford Motor Company for 10 years, Atlanta History Center Employee, Owner and CEO of Sparks Floor Care Service in Atlanta for 27 years, Husband, Father, Grandfather, Uncle, Great Uncle, Cousin, Friend, Deacon and Minister of the Church of God Of Brotherly Love, Inc., in Atlanta, Mr. David Leon Sparks, was born July 3, 1947 to Mr. Charlie Sparks and Mrs. Enettia Abrams Sparks in Birmingham, AL. He received his primary education and a high school education in the Birmingham, AL (Pratt City) School System with additional vocational training, before being drafted to the Vietnam War. He was called back to his ancestry at the Creator’s appointed time on October 21, 2008 in Miami, FL due to a brief bout with cancer.

Although both parents preceded him in death, Mr. David Leon Sparks was their 11^th offspring of 13 children, and nine of his siblings preceded him in death: One set of twins died at birth; Patricia (1952); Edward, Sr. (1983); Lorenzo (1987); one half-brother, Charlie, Jr. (1994); James, Sr. (2003); and Curly, Sr. (2006). Four siblings survive: Evangelist Ernestine Worthy (Clarence, deceased 2006) of Atlanta, GA; Kayron (Joe Louis, Sr.) Callaway of Atlanta, GA; Sandra (Marville) Avanti of Chicago, IL; and one brother of Birmingham, AL.

Mr. David Leon Sparks had found Holy Matrimony in 1971 to his surviving wife, Mrs. Juanita Keller Sparks of Temple, GA. Together, the 37 year union produced 13 offspring and 11 grandchildren (1 deceased in 1998, Geno Michael Sturgess), 7 step-grandchildren (1 deceased in 2007, Tariq Shareef Abdul-Rahman), a number of in-laws, and a multitude of nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, cousins and kin. He was preceded in death by his eldest offspring, Michael David (Teresa) of Albany, GA in 1996, and is survived by 12 offspring and their respective families: Benjamin (Winsome) of Miami, FL; Joseph (Melisha) of Decatur, GA; Moses of Los Angeles, CA; Daniel (Taye) of Tallahassee, FL; Keturah (Jamaal) Stubbs of Atlanta, GA; Lydia (Mark) Schealar of Atlanta, GA; Sharon (Smith) Jean-Philippe of Maryville, Tenn.; Lois (Corey, Sr.) Webb of Atlanta, GA; Timothy of Atlanta, GA; Jonathan of Atlanta, GA; Paul of Nashville, Tenn.; Stephen of Atlanta, GA.

Although in his prime, Mr. David Leon Sparks , “Pops, Dad or Father” to his sons and daughters, or “PaPa” to his grandchildren, and “Uncle David” to his nieces and nephews, or just plain “David” or “Dave” to his Wife and kin, or “Mr. Sparks” to his constituents or friends, and “SGT Sparks” to his US Army Vietnam War Comrades and Veterans, will be remembered and truly missed by all the receptive lives he has touched, his 61 outstanding, fruitful, and faithful years on this earth as God’s anointed servant.