Mary Ruth Durrance Sparkman, formerly of Yulee, Fla., went to be with her heavenly father on Friday evening, May 18, 2018 in Palm Desert, Calif.
Mary Ruth was born on November 7, 1930 in Nashville, Ga. to Arthur Forest and Effie Lee Exum Durrance. She was one of four children, Austin and Preston (both deceased) and Fayne Durrance (Marsha) of Fernandina Beach, Fla.
Mary Sparkman retired from the Nassau County Health Department in 1998. She also worked as a substitute teacher in Nassau County. Mary Ruth Durrance graduated from the first Yulee High School in 1949.
Among many things, Mary enjoyed travelling to various places, attending family reunions in Georgia, concerts of country music artists, attending plays/musicals, going to see movies, Red Hatter events and shopping.
Before her health declined and before moving to California, Mary attended Garden City Methodist Church. She had a heart for missions and was a GA Leader for many years at Pine Grove Baptist Church and then Yulee Baptist Church. Her favorite Bible verse was John 3:16. She loved music and liked to sing. Her favorite hymn was “Sunrise.” Mary’s favorite saying was “We can do no great things – only small things with great love.”
Mary Ruth Sparkman was predeceased by her husband of 68 years, Wade H. Sparkman Jr. of Yulee in 2015.
Survivors include her children, Lovelee Melody Lloyd (Larry) of Franklin, N.C., Dr. Stanley Keith Sparkman of Palm Desert, Merrie Starr Davis (Don) of Yulee, and Wade Tracy Sparkman (Elizabeth) of Homestead, Fla.; 13 grandchildren, Mary, Sarah, Keith, Rick, Justin, Marlena, Trevor, Briton, Kristin, Grace, Hampton, Taylor, and Sherry; eight great-grandchildren, Joseph, Mathew, Barrett, Easton, Ellis, Hunter, Nikko, and Benjamin; and numerous nieces, nephews, sisters-in-law and friends in both Yulee and California.
A memorial service will be scheduled in California at a later date.