Bill Sparrow, 73, passed away Monday, August 27th surrounded by his family at his home in Spearfish.
Visitation will be held from 2:00-7:00PM on Friday, August 31, 2007 at Fidler-Isburg Funeral Chapel in Spearfish.
Funeral services will be at 1:00PM on Saturday, September 1, 2007 at Our Savior's Lutheran Church, 1020 State Street, Spearfish, with Pastor Kent Stillson officiating. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery in Spearfish.
Memorials have been established for Hospice of the Northern Hills and for the Northern Hills Training Center.
While Bill lived in Spearfish for the past 40 years, his life began in Webster, South Dakota, on August 24th, 1934. Bill grew up in Carrington, ND, where his parents, Joe and Grace, owned a bakery. He graduated from Carrington High School, and met and married his wife of 51 years, Gloria (Pedersen) Sparrow.
Bill attended Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota receiving a Bachelor of Science in Math and Physics. Bill and his family lived in Dallas, TX and Santa Monica, CA, where he worked as an Engineer and Systems Analyst. In 1969, Bill brought his wife and 5 children to Spearfish to take over Sparrows Bakery from his parents, and to raise his family.
Bill loved living in Spearfish. He loved running the bakery, and serving the city in different capacities. Bill sold the bakery in 1991, but continued to take an active interest in Spearfish. He and his family were members of Our Savior's Lutheran Church, where he was a past member and president of the Church Board. He served on the City Council in the 1970's, and was Mayor of Spearfish from 1998 and 1999. As Mayor, he felt one of his greatest accomplishments was helping obtain a conservation easement to keep Lookout Mountain as a landmark of Spearfish. Bill kept his membership in the Spearfish Chamber of Commerce all his life. Bill served on the Advisory board of the Northern Hills Training Center and the Advisory board of the Pioneer Apartments, and was a member of Green & Gold.
Spending time with the family he loved always came first. Bill took his family camping, exploring, and boating in different areas of the Black Hills. He took them on family vacations throughout the United States. Bill instilled in his children the value of working hard and doing their best. Later in life, his grandchildren came to mean as much as his kids. Bill was always organizing family reunions, so he could be with his entire family, and all the grandchildren could get to know one another. In later years he purchased a cabin at Iron Creek, to enjoy for himself, but more importantly, to have a place where his family could gather and relax while visiting.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Grace Sparrow. Survivors include his wife, Gloria Sparrow; his five children, Len Sparrow of Spearfish, Craig (Cynthia) Sparrow of Spearfish, Julie (Craig) Thompson of Adel, Iowa, Monica (Steve) Cunningham of Scottsdale, AZ, and Sara (Shawn) Risseeuw of Newton, Iowa; and 12 grandchildren--Samantha Sparrow; Ashley, Ryan, Lauren, and Elaina Sparrow; Rachel, Seth, and Lucas Thompson; Shannon and Clark Cunningham; and Rogan and Landi Risseeuw.
Throughout his life, he touched the hearts of many people and he will be greatly missed.
Funeral arrangements are under the care of Fidler-Isburg Funeral Chapel of Spearfish. Online condolences may be written at: fidler-isburgfuneralchapels.com