Obituaries

Evangeline Sparks Small, 92, of Lincolnton, NC, died on June 11, 2014.

A service to celebrate her life will be 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 14, 2014, at First Baptist Church in Lincolnton with Rev. Dr. Stanley Spence officiating. Burial will follow in Hollybrook Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 9:30 until 10:45 a.m. prior to the service at the church.

She was born in Fallston, NC, on January 12, 1922. Her parents were the late Avery Roland Sparks and Ada Grigg Sparks. Mrs. Small was a graduate of Fallston High School as valedictorian of her class and Asheville Normal Teacher’s College. She taught school in Lincoln and Cleveland County schools for 35 years.

Mrs. Small was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and aunt.

Mrs. Small was an active member of First Baptist Church, Lincolnton, having served in Vacation Bible School and Training Union. She was a member of Lincoln Chapter #114 Order of the Eastern Star.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ray Small, and her sisters, Mary Alice Sparks and Faye Robinson.

Survivors include two daughters and their spouses, Martha Small Stowe and Sam Stowe, III of Belmont, NC, and Roxanne Small and Randy Houser of Denver, NC. She is also survived by five grandchildren: Amanda Stowe Hinson and husband Shawn Hinson, Rusty and Chris Stowe, and Lacey and Casey Small-Houser, and two great-grandchildren, Hayden and Hailey Hinson.

Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church Family Life Center Fund, 201 Robin Road, Lincolnton, NC 28092.

The family deeply appreciates the compassionate care provided by Premier HomeCare, so she could remain in her home until the end, especially Paula, Debbie, April, Dianne C, Carol, Suzette, Diane S, Nancy, Betty, and Barbara.