Here's an interesting and tidy little obit from today's paper:

Gertrude Sparks

Sept. 3, 1904 -Dec. 15, 2006
After 102 years of healthy good living Gertrude Sparks has gone on to be with the Lord. Born in Idaho in a town called White Bird. The Harrah family comprised about 14% of the population. There were eight girls and four boys. They had a typical family farm with wheat, garden crops, chickens, cows, cats, horse or two. Gertrude became Mrs. L. Sparks and raised a son, Richard Sparks, and daughter, Maxine Sparks Murray. She now has seven grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Gertrude worked as a House Mother to student Nurses at Everett General Hospital in Washington. She worked there for 19 years until the last class of Nurses graduated. She retired and spent the winter season of 1967 as a guest of Mary Fonken and liked Ramon Park so much she bought her place on Loganita Drive in 1968.

Playing Bridge was a SPECIAL favorite of hers, but she liked most card games and always enjoyed Bingo. Gertrude was seldom idle. She was a knitter and liked to go fishing. Her trophy fish was caught in Powell River B.C. Canada where she caught a 60-pound salmon.

Gertrude moved into Merrill Gardens in Seattle in the late l990's.
Gertrude had been struggling with mobility the last couple months and in December she fell and ended up in Providence Hospital where she was able to see all of her grandchildren before her passing on December 15, 2006.

A celebration of her Life will be at 11 a.m., Friday, January 5, 2006, at Washington Memorial Funeral Home in SeaTac, Washington.