Elmo Davis "Jack" Sparks, Jr.

Elmo Davis ""Jack"" Sparks Jr., 90, of Winston Salem, N.C. died March 12, 2016. Born May 30, 1925 in the Swan Creek community of western Yadkin County, he was the son of the late Elmo Davis Sparks and the late Gladys Sparks Allen. Jack grew up in Winston-Salem, attended Calvary Moravian Church and graduated in 1943 from R. J. Reynolds High School. Jack started working early in life delivering morning and afternoon newspapers throughout much of Winston-Salem's ""West End"" neighborhood. He also sliced and sold ham in a meat market at the City Market downtown. He sold ""War Bonds"" door-to-door to support the nation's efforts in World War Two. Jack served as an officer in the U. S. Merchant Marine from 1943 to 1947 and sailed on troop transport ships in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and the Pacific. Jack then attended and later graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After college Jack went to work in the plumbing and heating supply industry. From the early 1950's to the mid 1960's he worked for Atlas Supply Company in Charlotte, N.C., Atlanta, Ga. and Athens, Ga. In 1965, he moved back to Charlotte to join a newly created Murray Supply Company. He and the family then moved to Lewisville, N.C. in 1972, while Jack worked in sales for Murray Supply's Winston-Salem office. He retired at age 70 but continued to call on customers part-time until well into his 80's. Jack lived an active life. He loved working, singing, family gatherings and following UNC's sports' teams. Jack loved sowing grass and growing fruit in his yard. He also loved music, a pursuit he first cultivated by playing clarinet in orchestral groups in high school and the U.S. military. His musical expression then turned to singing. He served joyfully for more than four decades in the church choir at Clemmons Moravian, sang Handel's ""Messiah"" with choral groups in Charlotte and Winston-Salem and performed several years during the late 1960's in the ""Singing Christmas Tree"" in Charlotte. Jack is survived by his wife Betty Sparks, sons Jim Sparks and Drew Sparks and son-in-law Rick Jones, all of Lewisville; grandchildren Richard Jones of Winston-Salem, Katie Jones of Charlotte, Amy Jones and Desmond Harris, both of Lewisville; a nephew James Graham of Orange Park, Florida and a niece Trish Wickham of Gainesville, Fl. Jack was preceded in death by his parents, sister Doris Sparks Graham, daughter Cynthia Jones and son John Sparks. A graveside service will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, March 18, 2016 at Clemmons Moravian Church Graveyard with Pastor Ray Burke officiating. A reception will follow in the church parlor. The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00p.m. on Thursday at Hayworth-Miller Funeral Home in Lewisville. Donations may be made in Jack's memory to Clemmons Moravian Church, Post Office Box 730, Clemmons, N.C., 27012.

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