Colleen Sparks

Colleen Sparks, 73, of Boone, Iowa, passed away on March 6, 2026, at Stratford Specialty Care in Stratford, Iowa while under the care of Care Initiatives Hospice.

A Celebration of Life Gathering for Colleen will be held from 2-4 P.M., on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at the McGraw Senior Citizen Center in Ogden. A private family burial will be at the Beaver Cemetery.

Colleen Virginia Sparks was born on December 3, 1952, in Boone, Iowa, the daughter of Paul Patrick and Marjorie Jean (Burton) Pepper. She graduated from Ogden High School with the Class of 1971. She went on to receive her nursing degree from Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge.

On August 9, 1986, Colleen was united in marriage to the love of her life Brian Sparks at the Iowa Arboretum.

In earlier years Colleen was employed by Woodward State Hospital and later Iowa State University. After she became an RN she worked at the Evangelical Free Church Home in Boone, Madrid Nursing Home and Bethany Manor Nursing Home in Story City.

Colleen had a lifelong love of sports, especially basketball and softball. During her high school years, she proudly played guard on the varsity basketball team and spent many summers on the softball field. After high school, her love of softball continued as she played in slow-pitch leagues.

Colleen enjoyed many hobbies, especially sewing and cooking. She took great pride in sewing many of her own clothes. In the kitchen, she was well known for her spectacular spaghetti and meatballs, a recipe she learned from her beloved grandmother.

She had a wide circle of friends and cherished the time she spent with them. In high school, it was common to find Colleen and her friends gathering after school and sporting events. It was not unusual for her sisters to wake up on a Saturday morning to find one of Colleen’s friends who had unexpectedly spent the night. Her friendships lasted well beyond her high school years.

Colleen was smart, quick-witted, and had a great sense of humor. She loved life and lived it to the fullest, often entertaining those around her with her gift for storytelling. She and Brian treasured spending time with their granddaughters, Elizabeth and Megan, when they were young; they also shared a love of antiques. She enjoyed cheering for the Chicago Cubs with her niece, Tori and her friends. Later in life Colleen especially enjoyed connecting with her friends and brightening their day on social media. Colleen will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.

She is survived by her granddaughters, Elizabeth Bork of Atchison, Kansas; Megan McCormick (Jerrod) of Nevada; great grandchildren, Anabella & Kolby; her sisters Mary Pepper of Boone and Becky Watson (Dan) of Boone; nieces Tori Stanton of Nevada, Emily Stanton (Craig) of Rock Port, Missouri; nephews Josh Clauson (Andrea) of Boone and Joby Clauson (Denise) of Britt; great nieces, Delilah, Lexi, and Sawyer.

In addition to her parents, Colleen is preceded in death by her in-laws, Archie and Yvonne Sparks, husband, Brian Sparks, son, Judd Bork, and sister, Rose Pepper.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to the nursing staff at Stratford Specialty Care as well as to her heart sister, Susan Clauson. Colleen was deeply loved and cared for in her final days.

Memorials may be left to the discretion of the family.