Holland District Ruritans

Fellowship. Goodwill. Community Service.

Thomas Ewing Sparling, 87, passed away December 14, 2021.  He was born in Ohio the son of the late Carl and Inez Sparling.  He was predeceased by his son, Thomas “T.J.” Sparling.  Tom was a United States Navy veteran.  He later went on to work and retired as a submarine recorder mechanic for NASA at Langley.  He was a member of Benn’s United Methodist Church.  He was a lifetime member of the Chuckatuck Volunteer Fire Department and was the official hush puppy maker for the fish fry fundraisers.  In his earlier years, he helped with the Benefit Fundraisers for the Thomas Woods Program that helped mentally challenged adults.  He was a member of the Possum Hollow Ruritan Club and the Carrollton Ruritan Club where he served as a Past President for both.

Tom is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Kathy and Larry Bounds; daughter-in-law, Amy Sparling; grandchildren, Kasie Wilson (Steve), Kristin West (Jason); great grandchildren, Harper, Aubri, Riley, Ellie, Lincoln, and Madeline.

A funeral service will be held Saturday, December 18, 2021 at 11 a.m. at Parr Funeral Home & Crematory with Rev. Ileana Rosario officiating.  Burial will be held at a later date at Albert G. Horton, Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Scholarship Fund at Possum Hollow Ruritan Club,111 Commodore Lane, Smithfield VA  23430 or the Everyage Foundation,100 Anna Goode Way, Suffolk VA 23434 ATTN: Nancy Beard.  Condolences may be registered online at www.parrfuneralhome.com.  The family would like to give special thanks to the nurses and staff in assisted living and the memory unit at Lake Prince Woods for the loving care they showed Tom.