Dwight Newman Sparks

Mr. Dwight Newman Sparks, 89, died Friday, October 4, 2024, at Regional One Health in Memphis, Tennessee. The funeral will be Wednesday, October 9, 2024, at 2:00 P.M. in the Chapel of Waller Funeral Home with Rev. Randy Bain officiating. Visitation will be held prior to the service beginning at 12:00 noon in West Hall of Waller Funeral Home. Burial will follow the service in Shiloh Cemetery.

Dwight was born on July 14, 1935, to the late S.C. and Ara Sparks in Denmark, Mississippi. He played basketball for Yocona High School as a forward and received a scholarship to Northwest Junior College in Senatobia. Before beginning his career in construction, Dwight bravely served his country in the United States Army. He went on to work for Dunn Construction Company on several Ole Miss construction projects. He later started his own construction company, Dwight Sparks Construction, specializing in concrete construction. He was a faithful member of North Oxford Baptist Church for 60 years, serving on numerous committees within the church and also served as a Deacon. He served as Lt. Governor of the Oxford Civitan Club, where he was a member. He worked in the concession stand of OHS Varsity football games in the 1970s.

Dwight enjoyed many hobbies, most especially his Beacon Restaurant Coffee Club and visiting with all of his friends there. A lifelong gardener, he loved raising vegetables. He was also a voracious reader, but his biggest passion was furniture building, achieving Master Carpenter status. It brought him great joy and pride to craft many pieces of furniture to gift to family and friends. In addition to his parents, Dwight was preceded in death by his sister, Wilma Quay King and his brother, William Curtis Sparks.

Dwight is survived by his wife of 67 years, Bettie Busby Sparks of Oxford, MS; daughter, Teresa Sparks Petty of Oxford, MS; sons, Larry Dwight Sparks and his wife, Jacky and Terry Busby Sparks and his wife, Tammy, both of Oxford, MS; his sister, Alpha Jean Brown of Oxford, MS; grandchildren, Spurgeon William Petty, III (Will) of Oahu, HI, Anna Lysse McCarter (Keith) of Birmingham, AL, Tyler Sparks of Oxford, MS, William Sparks of Oxford, MS, Patrick Sparks of Oxford, MS, Jessi Prestage of Nashville, TN, and Laura Shoemaker (Steve) of Gulf Shores, AL; and 8 great-grandchildren, Grayson, Preston, Bryce, Bailey, Maggie, Zack, Grant, and Lily.

Expressions of sympathy or memorial contributions in Dwight’s memory may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38105 or online at www.stjude.org.

In honor of Dwight’s service, the flag of the United States Army will be flown at Waller Funeral Home.