In Memory Of
Raymond Allen Sparrow
1948
2022
Raymond Allen Sparrow
February 21, 1948 — May 26, 2022
Raymond Allen Sparrow, 74, of Paola, Kansas, departed this life on Thursday, May 26, 2022, at his home, surrounded by his family.
Ray was born in St. Louis, Missouri on February 21, 1948. He spent his early childhood in Piedmont, Missouri, until his family moved to Washington Park, Illinois, when he was 14 years old. On June 28, 1968, he married his wife of 53 years, Charlyne Hollyfield, in Cahokia, Illinois. Ray and Charlyne made a loving home in Cahokia, with their 3 daughters, Karen, Kathy, and Karrie. In 1989, they moved to Barnhart, Missouri, until September of 2020, when they moved to Kansas.
In the late 1960's he began a career in the lumber and hardware business, spending 1968 through 1989 working at Andrew Schaefer Lumber, in St. Louis, Missouri, and retiring from F.W. Clemens in 2014. In 1996, as a side job, Ray spent 10 years working for the St. Louis Cardinals as an usher, and then a cart driver, at Busch Stadium.
He loved God and the church, where he enjoyed teaching Bible classes, leading singing, working with the 'Joy Bus' Program, and being a deacon and elder, at Maplewood Church of Christ, in Cahokia, Illinois. He also loved baseball, fishing, woodworking, singing, listening to country music, and traveling.
He was preceded in death by his father, Arthur Charles Sparrow; his mother, Hattie Mae (French) Sparrow; father and mother, Calvin and Eddylene (Dillender) Holt; two brothers, Wayne and Ronald Sparrow; and two sisters, Joyce McPherson and JoAnn Sparrow.
Ray is survived by his loving wife, Charlyne Sparrow of Poala, Kansas; daughters: Karen Jo (Stephen) Dallimore of Paola, Kansas; Kathy Diane Sparrow of St Louis, Missouri; Karrie Lynn (Donnie) Lynch of Imperial, Missouri; brothers: Virgil Sparrow, Charles (Fleda) Sparrow, William (Tracy) Sparrow, Jerry (Cissy) Holt, and Darrell (Patricia) Holt; sisters: Linda Tubbesing, Rebecca Beranek, Judy (Charles) Moore, and Diane (Randy) Smith; twelve grandchildren: Kelsey (Cody) Marceau, Colin (Callie) Dallimore, Ashely (Dalton) Rolland, Christopher (Wendy) Dallimore, Alyssa (David) Ross, Katie (Colin) Smith, Cody Lynch, Patrick Hodge, Lucas Krause, Mali Krause, Natalie Krause, and Blake Lynch; two great-grandchildren: Hazel and Everest Marceau, with Marceau twins expected to arrive in August; and many beloved cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.
A visitation will be held on Saturday, June 18, 2022, from 1pm to 2:30pm, at Maplewood Church of Christ, in Cahokia Heights, Illinois, with a Celebration of Life beginning around 2:30pm.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Ray's memory, be made online at Click Here to choose to direct your gift to the Hospice House-FTH campaign.
To leave a message of condolence for Ray's family or to share a special memory of Ray, visit the guestbook below.
Ray was born in St. Louis, Missouri on February 21, 1948. He spent his early childhood in Piedmont, Missouri, until his family moved to Washington Park, Illinois, when he was 14 years old. On June 28, 1968, he married his wife of 53 years, Charlyne Hollyfield, in Cahokia, Illinois. Ray and Charlyne made a loving home in Cahokia, with their 3 daughters, Karen, Kathy, and Karrie. In 1989, they moved to Barnhart, Missouri, until September of 2020, when they moved to Kansas.
In the late 1960's he began a career in the lumber and hardware business, spending 1968 through 1989 working at Andrew Schaefer Lumber, in St. Louis, Missouri, and retiring from F.W. Clemens in 2014. In 1996, as a side job, Ray spent 10 years working for the St. Louis Cardinals as an usher, and then a cart driver, at Busch Stadium.
He loved God and the church, where he enjoyed teaching Bible classes, leading singing, working with the 'Joy Bus' Program, and being a deacon and elder, at Maplewood Church of Christ, in Cahokia, Illinois. He also loved baseball, fishing, woodworking, singing, listening to country music, and traveling.
He was preceded in death by his father, Arthur Charles Sparrow; his mother, Hattie Mae (French) Sparrow; father and mother, Calvin and Eddylene (Dillender) Holt; two brothers, Wayne and Ronald Sparrow; and two sisters, Joyce McPherson and JoAnn Sparrow.
Ray is survived by his loving wife, Charlyne Sparrow of Poala, Kansas; daughters: Karen Jo (Stephen) Dallimore of Paola, Kansas; Kathy Diane Sparrow of St Louis, Missouri; Karrie Lynn (Donnie) Lynch of Imperial, Missouri; brothers: Virgil Sparrow, Charles (Fleda) Sparrow, William (Tracy) Sparrow, Jerry (Cissy) Holt, and Darrell (Patricia) Holt; sisters: Linda Tubbesing, Rebecca Beranek, Judy (Charles) Moore, and Diane (Randy) Smith; twelve grandchildren: Kelsey (Cody) Marceau, Colin (Callie) Dallimore, Ashely (Dalton) Rolland, Christopher (Wendy) Dallimore, Alyssa (David) Ross, Katie (Colin) Smith, Cody Lynch, Patrick Hodge, Lucas Krause, Mali Krause, Natalie Krause, and Blake Lynch; two great-grandchildren: Hazel and Everest Marceau, with Marceau twins expected to arrive in August; and many beloved cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.
A visitation will be held on Saturday, June 18, 2022, from 1pm to 2:30pm, at Maplewood Church of Christ, in Cahokia Heights, Illinois, with a Celebration of Life beginning around 2:30pm.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Ray's memory, be made online at Click Here to choose to direct your gift to the Hospice House-FTH campaign.
To leave a message of condolence for Ray's family or to share a special memory of Ray, visit the guestbook below.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Raymond Allen Sparrow, please visit our flower store.
Service Schedule
Past Services
Visitation
Saturday, June 18, 2022
1:00 - 2:30 pm (Central time)
Maplewood Church of Christ
Service
Saturday, June 18, 2022
Starts at 2:30 pm (Central time)
Maplewood Church of Christ
Guestbook
Visits: 3
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