Born: Susan Jane (Janey) Elswick in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on February 22, 1948
Died: Susan Jane Sparks in Tulsa, Oklahoma on June 11, 2013
She was survived by her husband, Glen L. Sparks of Tulsa, OK, her oldest son Matthew Glen Spark (Rev Matt Sparks) of San Diego, her second son Jason Lee Sparks (Lt. Comdr U.S. Navy Jason Sparks) of Okinawa, and her Daughter Julie Ann Barnes of Tulsa, OK. She is also survived by her mother Rosalee Inez Elswick of Tulsa, OK and her brother James Delos Elswick (Jim Elswick) of Houston, Texas.
Janey Elswick was born in Oklahoma City in 1948 where she attended Buchannan Grade school and later Putman City Jr. High and High School. Janey attended Oklahoma State University starting in September of 1966 until January of 1968 before going to work for City Service Gas and Cryogenics in Oklahoma City. Janey grew up as a member of Portland Avenue Baptist Church in Oklahoma City where her family was long time members.
She knew her future husband from the time they were in the crib at Portland Avenue Baptist church where they both grew up. She married Glen L. Sparks on January 18, 1969 and she became Susan Jane (Janey) Sparks. She moved to Stillwater for her husband to finish his degree at OSU where she went to work for the OSU veterinary medicine research department until her husband graduated from OSU. She moved to Oklahoma City with her husband Glen and her two small boys Matthew and baby Jason in 1973. She lived in Oklahoma City until 1978 during which time her daughter Julie was born. In 1978 she took her two small boys and her six month old daughter to live with her husband in Bethioua, Algeria. After 2 years in Algeria, she return with her family to Oklahoma City from 1980 to 1984 when she moved to Pinedale, Wyoming with her husband and family when her husband was assigned to work there. In 1985 she moved to Maryville, Tennessee when her husband was assigned. She lived there for the next 12 years in Maryville, TN where her two boys and daughter graduated from high school. During this time she started working in a medical clinic office where she worked her way up to Office Manager.
In 1997, she moved back to Tulsa, Oklahoma when her husband took a position with a Tulsa based firm and it allowed her to be closer to family. She again took a position in a medical office going to work for Utica Psychiatric Services in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She later left the medical office to take care of her parents when her father became terminally ill and she moved them from Edmond, OK to Tulsa, OK in 2005. In October of 2011 she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
She started treatments in November of 2011 and in February 2012 moved to the Cancer Treatments Centers of America in Tulsa, OK. During this time she continued to take care of her mother. She entered the Cancer Treatment Center’s hospital on Saturday June 8, 2013 with complication and passed away on the morning of June 11, 2013.
She left a husband, three children and their spouses and eight grand children with another on the way. With her compassionate heart, she left a lasting impression on everyone she came in contact with both young and old and will be greatly missed.
Family will receive friends on Sunday, June 16 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at Matthews Funeral Home, Edmond, OK. Services will be held on Monday, June 17 at 11:00 a.m. at Matthews Funeral Home Chapel with interment at Kingfisher Cemetery at 3:00 p.m.
As a hairstylist to Janey, Marve Pederson & wife, Penny were also touched by her life. Always kind and giving, loving to family and friends, we too will miss Janey. Our hearts and prayers go out to all family and friends who had the priviledge of having her in their lives. May the peace that passes all understanding be yours today and in the days to come.
As we know in life good things must come to an end as happened with Janey all to soon. We remember our visits to Maryville early on as our daughter and her son Jay were engaged and soon married. We were always delighted by her upbeat manner and hospitality to strangers from Alaska. I remember catching fireflies in her backyard which beats swatting our giant Alaskan mosquitoes. Our hearts and thoughts are with Janey’s family and friends who had the benefit of much more time with her than us.
With fondest memories,
Dick & Kathy Wells