- Date Of Birth: November 17, 1937
- Date Of Death: August 25, 2020
- State: Illinois
Esther (Durdan) Sparks, 82, of Peru, died peacefully at Illinois Valley Community Hospital on August 25, 2020. Esther was born November 17, 1937, in Streator, IL to Mabel (Olsen) and Andrew Durdan.
She was raised on a farm near Grand Ridge, IL and attended a one-room country school in Grand Rapids Township. She graduated from Streator Township High School in 1955. She married Harold Sparks on November 24, 1960 and settled down in Peru. Esther was a housewife raising their three children before joining the Illinois Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross in 1979. She served as Executive Secretary until her retirement in l997.
She continued to serve as a Red Cross volunteer for over 20 years. She was a 50-year member of St. Joseph’s Church. Esther was Den Mother for the Cub Scouts for a number of years and also a leader for local Girl Scouts. Much like her mother, Esther loved working in her flower beds, sewing on her old Singer machine, and cooking. Her father taught her the love of attending Sunday Mass, and as a writer, wrote prayers of her own. Esther grieved over the loss of her four sisters: Darlene Kollar, Gladys Palaschak, Nancy Shields, and Joyce Blakemore – all dying at a young age. She wrote anthologies of her sisters for their families as well as her own biography.
She enjoyed working with members of the family in writing the “Family Ties” newsletter to share family happenings. The consummate journalist, Esther documented a great deal of family history.Surviving are her three children: Anthony (Leslie) Sparks of Peru, Christine (Steve) Coil of McHenry, IL, Jeff (Wendi) Sparks, Palm Bay, FL, and a very devoted niece, Elizabeth (Steve) Davis of Peru. Esther was privileged to have 5 grandchildren: Brian Owczarek, Caitlin Owczarek, Danny Sparks, Adam Coil, and Benjamin Coil; and one great grandchild: Ryan Owczarek. Preceding her in death were her husband Harold (2010), her parents Mabel and Andrew Durdan, and her four sisters.
