Obituary of Thomas Kendall Sparkman

Thomas Kendall Sparkman drew his last breath on July 9, 2019, at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida.  Kendall was born January 30, 1956 in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, the son of Thomas Carroll Sparkman and Elizabeth (Betty) Sparkman.

Kendall spent his early years in Cape Girardeau and Houston, returning with the family to Cape Girardeau where he attended Alma Schrader, Franklin, and Central High School.  At Central, he maintained honor roll status, and was selected to attend Boys’ State.  During these years, he attended Cape Church of Christ and was baptized there.  He was active in youth activities and helped to organize area-wide rallies. His youth group traveled on a mission trip to Geneva, Switzerland using funds raised by recording and selling an album.

Kendall graduated with a B.S. degree in business from St. Louis University, and attended University of Miami Law School in Miami, Florida.  He spent his career at Rubin, Baum, Levin, Constant, Friedman, and Bilzen where he orchestrated multibillion-dollar real estate closings.

Kendall loved his family, especially his younger brother, Randall, and his grandmother, Gertrude Sparkman, with whom he spent many hours.  He also loved children and pets, traveling, reading, visiting countless public libraries tracing family ancestry, and experienced many rewarding trips including a visit to Israel.

Survivors include his father and stepmother, Dr. Thomas and Carol Sparkman, his mother, Elizabeth Jones, his brother and sister-in-law, Randall and Laura Sparkman, and their children, Thomas Sumner and Blake Sparkman.  Other survivors include an uncle, Al Jackson, and aunts, Barbara Jackson and Mary Sparkman, step siblings, Dr. Mark (Angel) Hahn, Tara (Shawn) King, and Sheri (Don) Metcalf, as well as multiple cousins, nephews, nieces, great nephews and nieces in the Cape Girardeau, Doniphan, Missouri, St. Louis, and Chicago areas. 

He was preceded in death by maternal grandparents Albert and Velma Jackson, paternal grandparents Gertrude and Thomas E. Sparkman, step-father Rex (Elizabeth) Jones, infant niece, Sage Elizabeth Sparkman, uncles, Glenn Sparkman and Howard Jackson, and aunts, Alice Lee, Vera, Verna, and Mary Nell Sparkman, and first cousins, Greg and John Sparkman.

Visitation will be held at noon on Friday, July 19, 2019 at Ford and Sons Funeral Home on Mt. Auburn Road in Cape Girardeau, with funeral immediately following at 1:30pm.  A graveside service and burial will be held for immediate family later in the day at Sparkman Cemetery in Poplar Bluff Missouri.

We are grateful for Kendall’s presence in our lives.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Cape Girardeau Public Schools Foundation.