Jimmy Ray Sparks, affectionately known as "Sparky" passed away February 2, 2024.
Sparky loved Team Roping and Rodeos. He loved to watch his kids compete and ride the horses that he trained for them. Sparky always had his family mounted on good horses. We always did everything as a family, and he was very proud of his family. Most weekends you could find The Sparks family at a roping somewhere with close family and friends. Sparky loved his team roping family he was the best flagger and Coach around.
Sparky was born in Whitesburg, Kentucky to Bill and Blanche Sparks. Sparky moved to Florida when he was 9 years old. He started working cows with Ann Norvell at 15 years old. This is when his love for horses and cattle started. He than ventured into heavy equipment operating working for Ward Brothers, South FL land clearing and currently at Environmental Land Development. In between being an operator he also worked for Miller Ranch.
You could find him most mornings scratching a dam scratch off at Two G's, and he was pretty lucky at times.
Sparky will be forever remembered by his beloved wife of more than 30 years, Michelle of Okeechobee; daughter, Sara (William Ellis) Sparks and son, Jerrod (Jamie Avant) Sparks. Survivors also include sisters, Freedia Reals of Port St. Lucie, FL, Judy Stapleton, Debbie Sparks both of Ft. Pierce and Linda Talley of North Carolina. He will be dearly missed by his grandchild, Sutton Hayes Arnow and sister-in-law, Linda Gray Abstein. He was loved by many and will be missed. He joins his brother Gabby Gray and sister Joyce Niece in eternal rest.
