Dr. Patricia G. Sparks and Albert K. Sparks

Patricia G. SPARKS and Dr. Albert K. SPARKS Dorothy Patricia George Sparks 86, died November 6, 2010 peacefully in her bed at the Harbour Pointe Retirement Center in Mukilteo WA. Born November 28 in Wichita Fall Texas, the daughter of Agnes and Paul George, Pat's early youth was nomadic, following her father, who was in the oil business, around Texas. She graduated from Wichita Falls Senior High School in May, 1941 and entered TSCW (Texas State College for Women) that same year, graduating in 1946 with a B.S. in Chemistry. On May 15 of 1943, she married Albert K. Sparks, just before he was deployed to the Pacific theater. When her husband returned, she worked as a research chemist while he completed his B.S., M.S., and PhD. at Texas A&M. Their daughter, Elisa Kay Sparks, was born in 1951, just before Pat completed her M.S. in Chemistry. From 1956 to 1958, the family lived in Thibidoux Louisiana, but in 1958 they moved to Seattle where her husband taught at the University of Washington, College of Fisheries. During this time she was an active participant in the Faculty Wives, especially the Newcomer's Club, of which she was Secretary. In 1965 the family spent six months in Nairobi Kenya, while her husband served as an advisor to the newly independent Kenyan Government. In 1970, Al took a job with the National Marine Fisheries Service, and he and Pat moved to Galveston for two years. During the move down to Galveston, the van containing all of the family's possessions was wrecked and burned, a trauma which took many years to recover from. From 1972-76 Pat and Al moved to Washington DC (their daughter was in school at Bryn Mawr in Philadelphia and then in graduate school at Indiana University) where Pat became an avid follower of the Watergate scandal. In 1976, Pat and Al returned to Seattle where they have remained, though Al's retirement. Pat's keen interest in bridge became a passion during this time as she began competing in duplicate tournaments, eventually amassing number of Master Points. She and Al dearly loved their Vizlas, first Zizi, and then later Dzidra, who won her International Champion status when she was only 13 months old, but lived to delight her owners for 15 more years. Pat was highly intelligent (as any who played bridge with her had cause to know) but quiet and retiring except with her immediate family. She was a gracious hostess and fabulous cook, treating many graduate students and friends as well as her several bridge clubs to wonderful meals. Pat is survived by her husband Al, her daughter Elisa who teaches at Clemson University and lives in Pendleton S.C., and her sister Barbara George Cain who lives in Tyler, Texas. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Planned Parenthood in Pat's name. Dr. Albert Kirk Sparks 88, died March 28, 2012 of a heart attack in his apartment at the Harbour Pointe Retirement Center in Mukilteo WA. Born July 31, 1923 in Wichita Fall Texas, the son of Susie Francile Bishop and William Kirk Sparks, Al grew up in Wichita Falls where he established early habits of hard work, taking on all kinds of odd jobs, including delivering Western Union telegrams. He graduated from Wichita Falls Senior High School in May, 1941 and entered Texas A&M University majoring in Wildlife Management. A member of the infantry company of the Cadet Corps, he was called to active duty in May 1943, and married Dorothy Patricia George before being shipped to basic training. He served in the Pacific Theater in New Caledonia and on Okinawa until February 1946, where he wrangled his way into working in the hospital laboratory and discovered what was to become a life-long interest in parasitology. Returning to Texas A&M, he completed his B.S. in Wildlife Management, followed by an M.S. in Biology, and a PhD. in Biological Oceanography, specializing in the parasites of large-mouth bass. He also began what was to be an important career in invertebrate pathology with an initial specialization in oyster diseases caused by oil pollution in Louisiana. In September 1958 Dr. Sparks joined the faculty at the University of Washington, College of Fisheries, where for twelve years he built a program in Invertebrate Pathology which graduated a cohort of graduate experts in the field. During this time he affiliated with prominent insect pathologists to co- found, in 1967, the Society for Invertebrate Pathology. In 1970, he took a job as Laboratory Director of the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries Biological Laboratory in Galveston, Texas, which later evolved into the Gulf Coast Fisheries Center, for NOAA/NMFS. In 1973 he was offered a position in Washington D.C. eventually becoming acting Director for Resource Research from April 1975 until September 1976. Returning to Seattle in 1976 to take up a post as Invertebrate Pathologist with the Northwest & Alaska Fisheries Science Center. Dr. Sparks resumed his research and academic work , holding affiliate faculty chairs with both the University of Washington and University of Alaska-Juneau. Moving his major research interests from oysters to crab, he continued full-time work in his laboratory until 1990, when he retired to support his wife's declining health, to which task he remained dedicated for the next twenty years. During his lifetime, Dr. Sparks authored or co-authored over 80 peer-reviewed scientific papers, wrote two books, definitive introductions to the field of Invertebrate Pathology, Invertebrate Pathology: Non-communicable Diseases (1973) and Synopsisof invertebrate pathology: exclusive of insects (1985), and continued his tenure as an editor of the scientific journal Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, until 2005. He leaves behind a legacy of knowledge, collegiality, mentorship, and fond memories of literally hundreds of great jokes. Those wishing to make a giftin Al's name might consider donating to Ducks Unlimited, Texas A&M, or the democratic candidate of their choice. A celebratory wake will be held on June 28th at the Space Needle. Contact Jan Link or Elisa Sparks for further details.