Colon "Sparkie" Sparkman

Colon “Sparkie” Sparkman entered his eternal home on March 16, 2022. He died in his Walkertown, NC home at the age of 83 following a lengthy battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Sparkie was born on March 7, 1939 in Letcher County, KY. He graduated from Kingdom Come High School in Linefork, KY in 1958 and attended Berea College in Berea, KY. Sparkie & Margaret married July 22, 1961, after being introduced by mutual friends. They welcomed their only child, Kimberly, in 1977. Sparkie had a rewarding career in hospitality beginning as a Soda Jerk at Mammoth Cave in the summer of 1959, and managing Blue Ridge Parkway operations at Crabtree Meadows in Little Switzerland, NC and Bluffs Lodge & Coffee Shop in Laurel Springs, NC prior to retiring in 2005. He was a Christian, a numismatist, a joke teller, a talented cook, a devoted husband, and a doting father & grandfather that leaves a legacy of love & kindness for those closest to him.

He was preceded in death by his father William McKinley Sparkman, his grandfather Ira Sparkman, and his grandmother Marybell Sparkman.

Sparkie is survived by his wife, Margaret Burgess Sparkman; his daughter, Kimberly Sparkman, and his grandson, Rory Goss.

Sparkie’s visitation is scheduled for Sunday, March 20, 2022 at 1:00pm, with a memorial service at 2:00pm at Morris Chapel United Methodist Church in Walkertown, NC. It will be immediately followed by a graveside burial ceremony at the same location. Flowers may be sent to Hayworth-Miller Funeral Home at 3950 Macy Grove Road, Kernersville, NC 27284. In lieu of flowers, donations may also be made to The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation at https://www.brpfoundation.org/donate or Morris Chapel UMC at http://morrischapel.org/giving/online-giving.