Ronnie Lane Sparks , age 72, of the Mine Creek Community, passed away on Sunday, August 30, 2015 in the Blue Ridge Regional Hospital after a long illness. He was the son of the late Woodrow Sparks and Zella Johnson Sparks of Bakersville. Ronnie was a self employed farmer/logger and was a member of the Mine Creek Baptist Church .

Survivors include, in addition to his mother, his wife, Sarah Jones Sparks of Bakersville; daughter, Doris Fisher and husband Lee of Marion; son, JR Sparks and wife Misty of the Estatoe community; sisters: Glenda Jean McKinney and husband Wayne of Pilot Mountain, NC and Mary Howell and late husband Gerald of Taylorsville, NC; grandchildren: Allison Fisher, Kaitlyn Sparks and Colton Sparks.

Graveside services will be 1:00 pm on Tuesday, September 1, 2015 in the Grindstaff Cemetery with Kenneth Murphy officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care of the Blue Ridge , 236 Hospital Drive , Spruce Pine , NC 28777 .