Julia Benton Sparks

Julia Benton Sparks, 90, of Fordyce, died Wednesday, March 8, 2006, at the Dallas County Medical Center in Fordyce. She was a daughter of the late Effie Conner Benton and Hugh Bowers Benton, a prominent business leader and entrepreneur in the Fordyce and Dallas County area. Mrs. Sparks was the widow of Thomas E. Sparks, a well known attorney and legislator.

Mrs. Sparks graduated from Fordyce High School in 1932. She then attended Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri and Ouachita Baptist University at Arkadelphia, Arkansas, where she was a music major. She married Thomas E. Sparks on June 29, 1940. They celebrated 61 years of marriage on the date of his death, June 29, 2001.

Mrs. Sparks was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Fordyce. She had been active in her church and community, including the United Methodist Church Women's Circle and the Methodist Church Choir as well as a member of the Culture Club and Sesame Club in Fordyce and a member of the Little Rock Country Club. Mrs. Sparks worked during legislative sessions at the Capitol during the years her husband served in the Arkansas House of Representatives. She was an avid walker and maintained her exercise regimen almost to the end of her life.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, two sisters, Margaret Benton Hornaday Scaling and Ruth Benton Estes and one daughter, Helen Benton Sparks. She is suvived by one son, Thomas E. Sparks, Jr. of San Francisco, California, one daughter, Julianna Sparks Dickey of Berkeley, California, one sister, Frances Benton Meador of Fordyce, four grandchildren, Jennifer D. Dickey of Seattle, Washington, Thomas G. Sparks of San Francisco, California, Lt. Erik R. Sparks, U.S. Army Aviation, serving in Iraq and Andrew P. Sparks of San Francisco, California. She is also survived by three nieces, Laura Margaret Hornaday and Mary Jane Hornaday of New Orleans, Louisiana, and Sally Estes Dubay of North Augusta, South Carolina, three nephews, John Benton Meador, Hugh Conner Meador and Joe Bill Meador, all of Fordyce.

Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m. Monday March 13, 2006, at the Benton Funeral Home Chapel in Fordyce. Visitation will be Sunday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery in Fordyce by Benton Funeral Home Inc. of Fordyce. To sign the online register visit www.bentonfuneralhome.com