Obituary of Sally-Sarah-Ethelyn Newton

Sally Sparks (nee Sarah Ethelyn Newton) died peacefully on Friday, Aug. 20, 2010. A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held on Saturday, Aug. 28, at 1 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Verona, 10 Fairview Ave., Verona, N.J. Francioni, Taylor and Lopez Funeral Home, 1200 10th and Atkins avenues, Neptune, N.J., is in charge of arrangements. Born on Oct. 21, 1915, in Cleveland, Ohio, Sally grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio. She was the older sister of Alice and Edward. She graduated from Hathaway Brown, Flora Stone Manor, and received a master's of science from Simmons College in 1939. Sally married George G. Sparks Jr. in 1942. They settled with their four children in Essex Fells, N.J., in 1954. Over the years she was an active member in the Garden Club of Essex Fells and the Junior League of Montclair-Newark. She belonged to the Essex Fells Country Club, where she participated in duplicate bridge and bowling. She held several elected positions in the First Presbyterian Church of Verona. Sally is survived by her four children, Del Vergon, Cordia (Gary) Fischer, Art (Val) Sparks and Jud (Jan) Sparks; 12 grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, 6100 Rockside Woods Blvd., No. 445, Independence, Ohio 44131, or to the Seabrook Benevolent Care Fund, 3000 Essex Rd., Tinton Falls, N.J. 07753.