When the spark plugs were hitting just fine in the life of the earthly body of Scott Sparks of Nephi, Utah, the Jones Clan would hang out at his house for a couple of different reasons. First and most important was we had to get over to his house on Saturday's to help his Dad load and unload the candy truck, as he may head out to various stores in the area. At the time Dee Sparks was the Candy Man who made sure all people near and far had their adequate supply of chocolate covered sugar! Mr. Dee Sparks was an excellent business man and not just a good father figure. His Candy Elf's were Hal, who was Scott's close friend all the days they were both on earth riding their Harleys or fishing with a Mepps spinner, then there was Kent, who was built like a Mars Bar, but basically brain dead; then Gary- the tall skinny brilliant kid who needed more sugar to grow, then little sister Jaynette, a friend of Scotts sister-Ann, as she couldn't lift the heavy boxes of candy, but had enough Spice in her to make us clean or dust the shelves in Dee's candy truck. Parents in those days knew who and where their kids were and didn''t need a hand held teleprompter to guide them or us. At lunch time, Mrs. Sparks would fetch us something, or we would hike the block home to find some of LaVon's hot bread or cookies, then more chores mowing the lawn with a motorless push mower or clean house and iron clothes; chew on a cherry stick from the two trees that held up our Thermoid made hammock. Weston Jones wasn't a "certified" Candy Elf, and too busy with Joe Garrett catching wild horses on the Juab West Desert. When all that fun stuff was done, we would head back to the Scott's place for a game of Kick the Can and others would stop by to join up including the granddaughter's of Uncle Hy Tolley(Zabriskie's). Hal and Scott weren't too much into football but they both had strong legs which could send a can out on Main Street. Those were the days My Friends and like the Song says, We Really "Didn't Think They Would Ever End." But as we get older we discovered that our short existence on earth is merely a weekend in God's eternal plan and Scott and his family had to deal with it on earth and Scott is undoubtedly doing what he has been trained to do while his Class of Juab High pal-Hal went to war with the 9th Infantry Division in a foreign land that most students still don't know about. Scott became a Utah Highway Patrol Trooper and a good one at that. And so did another friend and Class of 64 buddy-Mike Royce who not only served in Viet Nam, but convinced Hal Jones if they were going to buy one of those brand new Honda 50's, Hal would have to find a real job as the "Serv" won't take candy bars as money. Hal started working dam hard and still does at 80 plus! A bunch of those very great friends consisted of John Lomax, who became one of the best Undercover Cops Utah ever had, then Leon Pexton, who eventually became refined with his intelligent abiity and became an Excellent Mayor of Nephi. Mike also became a State Trooper and renowned pilot like Leon and all the Pextons. He used to fly Governor Matteson around and also assisted me in a flight to the Northwest to bring back a Fugitive Cop Killer, and the bad guy got nervous when Capt. Royce did some circling around a dense forest in Idaho and when I put my hand on the door, our bad guy had to sit in his own ......Diaper, as I had him chained down. Then came Carl Parkin or Frank to his widow, but everybody else in Nephi called him "Chopper", and what a cut-up he was, who turned to be an excellent Army Man stationed in Germany, then artist; wood turner and just an all round friend for life. Scott was the one that made sure they would all get together once a month and have dinner together, and on a couple occasions, this no-account Jones kid had the privilege of meeting them at a secret fishing hole for all the Nephi buddies and their spouses and even though both Chopper and Scott would be hit with paralyzing diseases, neither of them complained but accepted it as a part of life, and with Scott, I joined Hal when we would pick him up for a lunch or when confined to a bed or mobile chair never complained even when his mother was tragically killed in a car wreck or other medical issues in the family. We give Thanks and Celebrate the Life and Times of He would would become the Savior of all of us. We pay special tribute to Scott Sparks as one who will be crowned as a "Great Cop" and his wife will undoubtedly be crowned one of God's Top People. Scott, You Did Well, but don't send any more of Fub Hebbler's spinners up here! They get snagged on the wings of our Guardian Angels.
Scott Sparks was—and is—a righteous man, and he comes from a righteous family. We, the Jones family, were truly blessed to have them as friends and neighbors (and yes, the free candy from Dee was a big bonus!).
ReplyDeleteIt was also wonderful to see you mention other righteous and familiar names—Lomax, Pexton, Royce, Tolley, Zabriskie, Parkin, and others.
Thank you, Kent, for bringing back such good memories.