Carolyn Jenkins Sparks passed away peacefully on October 14, 2015 at her home in Tuscumbia.
She was born November 23, 1920 to Howard W. and Henrietta Y. Jenkins in Tenafly, NJ. While working in New York City during WWII, she met a young naval lieutenant from Tuscumbia, James H. (Shubie) Sparks. They wrote each other often during his two-year deployment in the Mediterranean and married shortly after he returned. After the war they settled in Tuscumbia where she lived the remainder of her life. When R.E. Thompson Elementary School opened, Carolyn was the first secretary, a job she held and loved for more than 25 years. She was an active member of the First Baptist Church of Tuscumbia for 70 years. She was also a member of the Cosmopolitan Study Club, DAR, Community Bible Study, and a faithful volunteer at Helen Keller Hospital for many years. Carolyn was devoted to her family and many close friends, and loved to play golf and bridge. She leaves a wonderful legacy of deep faith, grace, quiet courage, and was an inspiration to everyone she touched.
Carolyn was predeceased by her parents, her husband, her sister, Frances Follmer, and two brothers, Howard and Donald Jenkins. She is survived by her two daughters and their husbands, Barbara and George Gifford of Nashville and Judy and Cris Brown of Birmingham, and one brother, Frederick Jenkins of Santa Barbara, CA. She is also survived by four grandchildren – Carolyn Gifford Keysaer (Blain), Lane Gifford Franklin (Scott), Laura Brown Wood (Chance), and Matthew Brown (Taylor). She is also survived by ten great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild, born only a few days before her death.
Her visitation will be at the First Baptist Church in Tuscumbia on Saturday, October 17, 2015 from 1:00-2:00 with the funeral service following at 2:00 p.m. The pallbearers will be members of her family. Her family would like to thank the ladies who have taken such loving care of her during the past two years. We will be forever grateful. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Tuscumbia or your favorite charity.
