About Mary E. Sparkes
Mary E Sparkes, 95, was called home on June 20, 2020. There to meet her were her husband Roy, and daughter Katherine Black as well as her parents, sisters and brothers. Left with many wonderful memories are her sons Thomas Buntin and Richard Buntin, grandchildren Jodie Black, Cassandra Black, Richard Black, Jacklyn Buntin, and Franklin Buntin and 9 great-grandchildren, cousins and many nieces and nephews.
She was born June 14, 1925 in Washington Mills, New York. Mary joined the Women’s Army Corps in 1944. She was assigned as a VIP Chauffeur to transport dignitaries to and from Los Alamos National Laboratory to Santa Fe, New Mexico. She drove physicists, chemists, generals and physicians as well as Paul Tibbets who dropped the Atomic Bomb. They were all informed to not speak to anyone about the Atomic Bomb testing that was nearby. She never mentioned what she actually did in the Army until recent years when she read a book about the Manhattan Project and decided it was now okay to talk.
Mary later got her pilot’s license and became a Civil Air Patrol Lieutenant. She then attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. She went to work for Sears and became a buyer of women’s clothing.
After 29 years working for Sears, she retired in 1988 and moved to Mesa, Arizona. She became active in several adult retirement communities where she lived and loved to organize sightseeing day trips around Arizona. She also became an avid Bridge player.
The immediate family will hold a private memorial service at a date, time and place to be determined. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a charity of choice. Cancer research or dementia research would be of interest to her.