Dudley Raymond Sparkman

Dudley Raymond Sparkman, 80, of Dye Mound, Texas went to be with our Heavenly Father on Sunday, July 30, 2023, in Gainesville, Texas. He was born on August 23, 1942, to Urial Sylvanus Sparkman and Mabel Edith Park Sparkman in Denton, Texas and grew up in a rural community called Cooper Creek in Denton County. Dudley bought a little tractor as a teenager and helped pay for it by using it to do agricultural work in the community. For the rest of life, tractors would be very significant. His CB handle was the Tractor Jockey. Dudley graduated from Denton High School where he was active in the FFA. He briefly attended North Texas State University and then served in the Army National Guard for six years. Dudley received training as a diesel mechanic and briefly worked for a John Deere dealer in Denton, Texas. Dudley worked as a farmer his entire life-doing agricultural work for himself and for others while also supplementing his income working on other people’s tractors. Dudley met and married Raima Jo Davidson on August 22, 1966 in Denton County, Texas. They had two children, Gwen and Michael. Dudley was a devoted father and church member, serving as a Sunday School teacher and Deacon for decades, first at Gribble Springs Baptist Church and First Baptist Church of Saint Jo since 1985. Dudley is survived by his wife Raima, daughter Gwen, son-in-law Anthony Williams, son Michael and daughter-in-law Trisha, grandchildren Lexie, McKenna, Tristan, Ava, and Delilah, brother Dan (and wife Becky), sisters Ruth Ann, Jane, Lucille (and husband David) and Cecile and a large number of nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents U.S. Sparkman and Mabel Sparkman and brother-in-law Sydney Hammons. Visitation will be held at 1:00 PM just prior to the 2:00 PM Funeral Service on Wednesday, August 2, 2023 at First Baptist Church—Saint Jo, Texas, 402 N Broad St, St Jo, TX 76265. Interment will follow at Dye Mound Cemetery (381 Dye Cemetery Road - from Saint Jo, take FM 677 to FM 3206 and turn on Dye Cemetery Road). Pallbearers will be nephews Stephen Hammons, Dan Clifton Sparkman, David Hammons, Milton Sparkman, Stephen Marrs, and Chris Soller. Memorials or donations may be made to First Baptist Church, Saint Jo, Texas.

Dudley Raymond Sparkman

August 23, 1942 - July 30, 2023