Alice Sparks

Alice Sparks, 94, of Newton, formerly of Lynnville, died Saturday, Dec. 23, 2017, at Accura Healthcareof Newton West.

A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2018, at the Lynnville Friends Church in Lynnville. The family will greet friends from 5 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory in Newton. Memorials to the Lynnville Historical Society can be left at the funeral home on the day of the service.

Alice, the daughter of Harold and Charlotte (Groves) Ratcliff, was born June 4, 1923, in rural Mahaska County, Iowa.

She graduated from Lynnville High School in 1941. She was united in marriage with Lloyd Sparks onDecember 9, 1941 in Lancaster, Mo. Alice was a house wife and farm wife. During the months of January, February and March, she went to the Lynnville Friends Church to make quilts for Native Americans in Oklahoma. She was there every Monday and Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., only leaving for an hour to feed her husband and do the dishes. She always had chocolate chip cookies waiting in her freezer for anyone who would stop by.

She also loved having her grandchildren come spend the night. One New Year’s Eve she had all 14 of them over, and still hosted the traditional Ratcliff family dinner on New Year’s Day.

Alice is survived by her six children: Lloydeana (Jim) Stewart of Newton, Larry Sparks (Virginia Meredith) of Lynnville and Newton, Dennis Sparks of Newton, William “Bill” and Lyndia Sparks of Lynnville, Mary (Emmett) Kadwell of Shelbyville, Mich., and Mildred (Rich) Henschel of Kellogg; her 14 grandchildren: Tony (Teri) Stewart of N.C., Tammy (Mark) Davis of Minn., Brenda (Mick) Denmark of Lynnville, Jason (Shawnee) Sparks of Newton, Troy Wearmouth of Mo., Gabe Wearmouth of Newton, Kim (Rod) Sieck of Grinnell, Tim (Dee) Sparks of Lynnville, Darron (Beth) Kadwell of Mich., Keith (Lisa) Kadwell of Mich., Stephen (Kayla) Kadwell of Md., Emily (Nick) Enz of Md., Mike (Melissa) Henschel of DeWitt, and Sheri (Greg) Leavens of Colfax; 29 great-grandchildren; seven great-great-grandchildren, with one on the way; her brother, Melvin (Marcile) Ratcliff of Lynnville; brother-in-law, Clair (Karel) Fenner of Grinnell; cousins, Ike, Helen, and Bob; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 69 years, Lloyd; brother, Rayford (Elenora) Ratcliff; sisters: Neva (Earl) Klyn, Velma (Floyd) Sparks, Vera (Gerald) Beason, and Doris Fenner; and daughters-in-law: Judy Sparks, Carol Sparks, Bonnie Sparks, and Irene Janssen.