Margaret Towe Sparks

Margaret Sparks, formerly of Asheville, died Monday, November 17, 2008, at the Hospice and Palliative Care Center in Winston-Salem following a long illness. A graveside service and interment will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. Thursday at Calvary Episcopal Church Cemetery in Fletcher, NC. Margaret was born in Asheville, one of eleven siblings born to the late Charles and Eva Towe. She was a graduate of the Buncombe County school system and of the Asheville Teachers College, a predecessor of UNC-Asheville. After college, she began a teaching career in Candler, NC, where she met her husband, the late Joseph "Sparky" Sparks. Margaret spent her entire career as a teacher in the Buncombe County schools. She was a gifted teacher to thousands of students and a mentor and role model for her fellow teachers. In addition to teaching, she sometimes held as many as three part-time jobs to insure that her sons would have good lives and good educations. Blessed with a rare combination of intelligence and common sense, she was a frequent source of counsel to all who knew her. Hundreds of times family and friends would make some variation of the statement, "Ask Marg, she'll know what to do". Margaret held herself and others to high standards, but she was also thoughtful, generous, self-sacrificing, proud, kind, and had a great sense of humor. A host of interests kept Margaret young and vital. Until late in life, she went on daily brisk walks; she also stayed active with reading, crossword puzzles, and her much-loved weekly bridge games. In addition, she enjoyed hosting parties and maintaining friendships that kept her spirit lively. She was also was a lover of nice clothes, big band music, dancing, and beautiful plants and flowers. In addition to her parents and husband, Margaret was preceded in death by brothers Charles Towe, Aleck Towe, Mac Towe and John Towe, sisters Mildred Cochrane, Ailene Mallory, Maxine Sizemore, and Louise Tomberlin, and by a daughter-in-law, Marilyn Sparks. She is survived by a son, Tom Sparks of Greensboro, and son and daughter-in-law, Jeff and Donna Sparks of Clemmons; sisters, Peggy Cox of Asheville and Barbara Metcalf of Brevard; grandchildren, Brent Sparks and wife, Amy, of Huntersville and Garrett Sparks of Durham, and Matthew Sparks and Lindsay Sparks of Greensboro; great-grandchildren Kaelyn and Rachel Sparks of Huntersville, and numerous nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Hospice and Palliative Care Center, 101 Hospice Lane, Winston-Salem, NC 27103. Groce Funeral Home on Patton Avenue is assisting with the arrangements.