Ann O. Sparling

Anne Onyschuk Sparling passed away peacefully Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, with family at her bedside in Santa Maria, CA. Anne was born Nov. 21, 1925 in Mundare, Alberta, a small, predominately Ukrainian village on the Canadian prairie. Although she grew up during the Great Depression, she reminisced fondly and frequently about her childhood on the farm. All of her life, she remembered by name her dad's teams of work horses, various milk cows, and the ducks, chickens and geese on the farm as well as her mother's beautiful gardens; Anne never lost her love for or awe of God's creation. She often said that her happiest memories were grazing their cows along the country roads, lying on her back watching the clouds while the cows munched grass contentedly. Although Anne did not speak English until she began the 1st grade, it quickly became apparent that she was an excellent student. However, social norms being what they were in the 1940s, as the end of her high school years approached, she chose not to go to college, but instead to go live with her older sister, Alexandra, in the "big city" of Edmonton, Alberta, where she could join her sister working in the Military PX. When the war ended, she became the personal secretary to Joe Sparling, owner of Sparling-Davis Construction, where she met Joe's nephew, Jerry Sparling. Anne and Jerry fell in love and were wed in Edmonton July 6, 1953. Marcia and Ed, the first of their three children, were born in Edmonton. While her husband continued to work for Sparling-Davis, the family moved frequently, living in Toronto, Montreal, Quebec, Valdez, and Fairbanks. In 1960, the couple returned from Alaska to Jerry's home of California seeking opportunity for themselves and opportunity for their children to receive the best educations they could provide. While there, they had Alexandra, their third and final child. They were eventually able to purchase a home in the country in Salinas, CA, which was always a dream of Anne's; she wanted to be outside as much as she could. In Salinas, Anne began working in the horticultural industry, at Yoder's Chrysanthemums and Sunnyside Nurseries. She relished the opportunity to learn the scientific principles of growing beautiful plants. She was an enthusiastic gardener, and she loved having the opportunity to learn more through her work. Although she was fortunate to find work that she enjoyed, what meant the most to her was being a good mother to her three children, and for her, at the top of the list of what that meant, was teaching her children to love to read and love to learn. She wanted her children to have endless opportunities, and she fervently believed that the key to that was education. For that gift, all of her children are deeply grateful. In 1996, Anne and Jerry moved to La Center, WA,where they lived happily in the country near their eldest daughter and their son and their respective families. In La Center, Anne enjoyed gardening, birds, horses, llamas and dogs. In 2015, as life in the country became more difficult, they moved to Santa Maria, CA to be closer to their youngest daughter and her family. Anne was a woman ahead of her time. Long before her peers were discussing these things, Anne was concerned about the health of the environment and just treatment for the vulnerable, both people and animals. Although she had a classic Ukrainian reserved nature, her heart was big and full of love. She made friends easily, would not let you leave without feeding you, and was always admired for her wit, spunk and unique take on the world. Anne is survived by her three children, Marcia Sparling (Michael Coppock), Edward Sparling (Barbara), and Alexandra "Chrissy" Allen (Paul); her grandchildren, Cameron and Christopher Coppock and Brooks and Tyler Sparling; and her sister, Darcie Sheppard, as well as nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jerry Sparling; her father, Gregor Onyschuk; her mother, Mary (Shavchook) Onyschuk; her brother, Fred Onyschuk; and her sisters, Alexandra Biddeson and Sonya Darnsborough. There will be a memorial service Tuesday, Aug. 16 at Evergreen Memorial Gardens Funeral Chapel, 1101 NE 112th Avenue, Vancouver, WA at 10 a.m., all are welcome. Burial service will follow immediately at Mountain View Cemetery in Amboy, WA.

Ann O. Sparling

November 21, 1925 - August 3, 2022