Prominent Citizens of Johnson County

William Hayes Sparks

    William Hayes Sparks of Kerz, Ky., died in the Paintsville Hospital Thursday, April 20 following an illness of jaundice from which he had been suffering for some time.

    Mr. Sparks was a life-long resident of Johnson County and was one of its most prominent teachers and best citizens. He entered the teaching profession in his early youth and devoted the bigger part of his life to it having taught thirty-seven school terms. He was perhaps the county’s oldest school teacher and certainly one of its best, for throughout the years it has been his heart’s interest, and he had been involved in all the educational movements and participated in promoting progress along intellectual lines. He served the people one term as County Supervisor of Schools, and even in the later years of his since failing health made it difficult to pursue his life-long active work, he put his unwavering zeal into conducting adult educational programs sponsored by the Government in this way accomplished great good in his community.

    Hayes was born at Kerz, Ky., July 27, 1878. He was the son of Mr. And Mrs. Benjamin F. Sparks. He married Etta Ross of Flat Gap, Ky., on March 25, 1909. To this union was born one daughter Louise, who is now Mrs. Rennie Thomas Salyer. Mr. And Mrs. Salyer are living in Lima, Ohio where he was employed by the Inter-State Gas Co., and Mrs. Salyer held a position in the Personnel Dept. of the Lima Tank Depot operated by United Motors Inc. Both were called home to the bedside of her father a few weeks before his death. Besides his wife and daughter, Hayes leaves bereft these brothers: Frank Sparks of Spokane, Washington; Sheridan Sparks of Wenatchee, Washington and John Sparks of Seattle, Washington. He was a brother to the late Alonzo Sparks of Chandlerville, Ky. Hayes leaves to mourn his passing a number of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends and former students. Mr. And Mrs. John Sparks of Seattle, Wash., arrived here five days before their brother’s death and remained for the funeral services which were conducted Saturday April 23, at the New Regular Baptist Church at Kerz, by the Rev. Harry Bruce Daniel and Rev. Wm. Horn of Kerz, Ky.

    A goodly sized crowd attended the services and the body of Hayes Sparks was laid to rest in the Sparks cemetery at Kerz, Ky. The bereaved family feel deeply grateful to the many friends and relatives for the beautiful floral tributes and the kindly sympathy which was manifested. Mr. Sparks was well-known in and around Johnson County, and he had many friends. He was staunch, up-right and truthful and in his passing the country has lost an honest, loyal citizen, the community an kindly neighbor and the teachers of the county feel that a faithful trooper has fallen from their ranks. But we know that burdens of this earthly life and departed from us, the fine brave spirit of him will live on, and his life work also will not perish, but will live on in the memories of those who have been guided by his wise and thoughtful teachings, and who have been fortunate enough to live in contact with his great intellectual mind. We feel that “He is not really dead who lives on in the hearts of those who enshrine his memory.”