Lorraine Minnie Sparke

Lorraine Sparke died on January 19, 2018. She was born on August 23, 1924 in Osseo, MN to Ben and Julia (Roder) Schimelpfenig. In 1934 her family moved to a small farm near Johnson Lake south of Detroit Lakes, MN where she attended a country school.

Her family moved again in 1938 to Amenia, ND where she graduated from high school in 1942. She moved to Fargo in 1943 and began working for the JC Penney Company. She retired as catalog department manager in 1983 after 40 years of service.

She married William L. Sparke in October 1945 after he returned from military service overseas. He died in 2009. After retirement, Lorraine and Bill enjoyed traveling, and visited nearly all the United States, including Hawaii. They made many friends in their travels, and Lorraine considered all of them her extended family.

In the year 2000 Lorraine was honored by her many friends and neighbors by being nominated and receiving the YWCA Woman of the Year award.

She is survived by her daughter, Carol L. Sullivan, and son, William P. Sparke, both of Fargo; her daughter in-law, Mary Jo Sparke, Indianapolis, IN; granddaughter, Tammy Leadbetter, Atlanta, GA; grandsons Blaine Engeland, Maui, HI, and Shawn Sullivan, Nashville, TN. She is also survived by several great-grandchildren, and the many friends and acquaintances that she and Bill made during their many travels.


She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Bill; brother, Marvin Schimelpfenig; sister in-law, Charlotte Schimelpfenig; nephew, Robert Schimelpfenig; and grandson, Michael Sullivan.