MARTIN ALLEN SPARROW

August 6, 1957 - June 4, 2018

My brother Martin (Marty) Sparrow was born on August 6, 1957 at Fayette County Memorial Hospital in Washington Court House, Ohio; the son of Lewis Frederic Sparrow and Irene Frances Pace Sparrow. He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Susan Elaine Sparrow Baughn. He leaves behind two sisters, Teresa (Terri) Ann Sparrow Stapleton and Linda Carol Sparrow Venezia; two nephews and four nieces. One nephew, Bradley Paul Mickle preceded him in death also.

He grew up in Jeffersonville, Ohio. When he was eight years old his mother died and he was greatly affected. His father remarried 4 years later and the family moved to Dayton, Ohio where he graduated from Fairview High School on May 28,1975. After graduation he joined the u.S. Navy but received an honorable discharge before serving his term due to problems with his health. He then attended two years of college at Wright State University in Dayton.

He spent his adult life in Cincinnati, Ohio where he worked as an auditor for the George E. Fern Company who provided supplies for expositions and conferences. He remained single his entire life.

In June 2002 he moved to Vandalia, Ohio to assist in helping and caring for his aging and partially disabled father. On May 22, 2007 he experienced a brain aneurism which left him with aphasia, short term memory loss, the inability to read, reason and care for himself. He was physically affected by weakness on his right side. He was declared disabled in November of 2007. Sometime in the summer of 2009 he expressed regrets over some of his actions in the past. I led him though praying to ask Jesus into his heart and confess his transgressions and ask for forgiveness. I then assured him that he was now forgiven and assured of eternal life. He smiled with tears of relief on his face.

Since then I have been his appointed caregiver and have watched over him during his stays in nursing facilities. When I moved to New Madrid from Ohio, I brought him with me so I could continue to be involved in his care. His last place of residence was the General Baptist Nursing Home in Piggott, AR where he received good care and was reasonably happy. His condition caused him to be confrontational and at times he was sent to Saint Bernard Mental Health Unit in Jonesboro, AR for evaluation. It was there that he got some food stuck in his windpipe and they weren't able to resuscitate him.