Joseph Tyndall Sparks, 93, Harrisonville, Missouri, died Wednesday, April 18, 2018 at his home in Harrisonville, surrounded by his loved ones. Funeral services were held Tuesday, April 24, 2018 at the Heartland Baptist Fellowship in Harrisonville with burial in the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Higginsville, Missouri.  Memorial contributions may be made to Crossroads Hospice or Heartland Baptist Fellowship.

Joe was born August 22, 1924 in Mercer County, Missouri, the son of William Omer and Georgia Lois (Wishon) Sparks.  He attended rural school and graduated from Princeton High School, Princeton, Missouri, Class of 1942. He had lived in Bates County before moving to Harrisonville in 1968. That same year Joe entered the United States Army to fight in World War II. He served in the Asiatic/Pacific Theater under the command of General Douglas MacArthur. He fought in the invasion of Leyte Island, Philippines on October 20, 1944 and in the invasion of Okinawa on Easter Sunday morning, April 1, 1945.

On June 3, 1946, Joe was united in marriage to Bessie Marguriete Burrus. He worked a year for the Missouri Pacific Railroad, then 5 years as a heavy equipment operator. He retired from GM on July 1, 1983 after 30 years of service at the Leeds plant in Kansas City, Missouri. In retirement, he worked for Wells Fargo Security. Joe was an active member of Heartland Fellowship Baptist Church. He was a member of American Legion Post 42, and Harrisonville VFW Post 4402.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents, two infant sisters, an infant son, Samuel Ray Sparks, a grandson, Jeffrey Brandon Sparks, and a son-in-law Jerry Davis. He is survived by his wife, Marguriete, of the home; his daughter, Georgia Lenora Sparks Davis of Latham, Kansas; his sons, JT Sparks Jr. of Orrick and William Robert Sparks and his wife, Patricia of Harrisonville, Missouri; seven grandsons, Chris and his wife, Sara of Alden, IA, Troy and his wife, Lori of Honolulu, HI, Trevor of Charleston, SC, Cody of Orrick, MO, David and his wife, Tamara of Paola, KS, Gabriel of Kansas City, MO, and Kevin of Kansas City, MO; five great-grandchildren, Daniel, Samantha, Cooper, Nathaniel, and Jillian; two step-grandsons, William J. Davis and his wife, Sarah, and Benjamin Roy Davis and his wife, Carolyn; three step-great-grandchildren, Valerie Gault, Wendy Davis, and Gregory Davis, and several great-great-grandchildren.