OBITUARY: T. Merrill Sparks

T. Merrill Sparks, 91, of Iowa City, died Thursday, May 29th, 2014 at Lantern Park Care Center in Coralville.

A Celebration of Merrill’s Life where friends can gather, share stories and enjoy music will be held Wednesday, June 11th from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service in Iowa City. 

Memorials may be directed to the T. Merrill Sparks Memorial Fund.

Born October 5, 1922, the son of David and Ollie (Hickman) Sparks, he was raised in Mount Etna, Iowa and graduated from Corning High School in 1939. His first song was published at age 19.

Merrill went on to receive diplomas from the University of Besancon (France) and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa. He continued work on his master’s degree in Paul Engle’s Poetry Workshop at the University of Iowa. He also served for three years in the U.S. Army during WWII.

Merrill was an entertainer in California (including Los Angeles and Hollywood), Florida and New York in the 1950’s. While in Hollywood, Merrill headlined for 4 years in Moulin Rouge production. In 2008, he composed the music for ICARIA -- a delightful story and musical about a piece of SW Iowa history.

He was a 50+ year member of Hollywood Musicians Union Local 47, Rotary International and numerous poetry and literary clubs. He was awarded the International PEN Translation Award in 1968 (Poets Playwrights Essayists & Novelists). Merrill shared a passion for historic preservation and Iowa Tourism – the basis for his compositions for ICARIA.

Survivors include a niece, Dolores Williams of California; best friends, Florence Hayslett of Iowa City and Ricardo Sauro of Coralville; his brother Norman’s family of Springfield, Missouri; friends Eva Breakenridge and Gary Harter of Corning, Iowa; and a host of other friends and colleagues.

His parents, a brother Norman, and sisters, Elda Powell and Thelma Johnston died before him.

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