Sherry Sparling

Sherry Ann Jones Sparling, a strong and loving mother and wife, was relieved of her long battle with dementia as she passed away peacefully Sunday evening, January 26, 2025, in Grand Prairie, TX.

Services will be Monday, February 17th, at Grand Prairie Funeral Home, 733 Dalworth St. at 1 p.m. with the Rev. Marianne Brown-Trigg presiding. In lieu of flowers or other physical mementos, the family requests donations to the Alzheimer's Association.

On November 16th, 1945, in Boca Raton, FL, Sherry was welcomed to this world by her parents, S.T. and Irene Jones, and her older brother, Fred. Her father was stationed in many countries and places throughout his Air Force career, so Sherry grew up around the world. Some of her fondest memories were in Margate, England, where she loved playing in the thick fog and buying chocolates at the corner store. The family settled near Barksdale Airforce Base and Sherry graduated from Bossier High School in Bossier City, LA in 1963, where she was involved in theatre and was a National Merit Scholarship Semi-Finalist. This is also where Sherry met the love of her life, George Sparling, but fate would not put them together until years later.

After high school, Sherry attended Louisiana Tech in Ruston, LA, where she staunchly supported the civil rights movement and participated in many civil rights marches. Then in June of 1965, Sherry began what she considered the most important job of her life, and gave birth to her first daughter, Irene. In 1969, Sherry and Irene moved to Arlington, TX, and Sherry eventually became a Vought Helicopter Executive Bilingual Secretary at the Amon Carter Airport where she reconnected with her fellow Bossier High Bearcat, George. They fell in love and were married on her birthday, November 16th in 1974. Four years later, in February of 1978, they welcomed another daughter to the family, Jessica.

Always focused on being the best mother she could be, Sherry was active in her church-life, serving on the Altar Guild and participating in Bible study groups often. Sherry also spent time as a rape crisis counselor. A multi-lingual, Sherry was an American Sign Language interpreter and later provided French, Spanish, and some Vietnamese translation services at voting locations where she volunteered as an election worker. She also volunteered many hours at every school her daughters attended. In March of 1989, Sherry's grandson, Kendall, was born and she embraced being a grandmother. Her granddaughter, Chloe, followed in August of 2011. Sherry loved cats, knitting, Dallas Stars Hockey, coffee, and cheesecake. While she had a sharp wit and the gift of sarcasm, she deeply loved her family and friends.

For the past eight years, Sherry called Oxford Glen Grand Prairie home. Her family will forever be grateful for the amazing care and love she experienced there.

Sherry was welcomed to the afterlife by her parents, S.T. and Irene, and her brother, Fred, and was joyously reunited with her eldest daughter, Irene. She is survived by her husband of 50 years, George; her youngest daughter, Jessica Walters; and her grandchildren, Irene's son, Kendall Graves, and Jessica's daughter, Chloe Walters. While her presence on this Earth will be missed, the family takes solace in the ending of her suffering and the restoration of her mind and spirit in Heaven.