William Ray Eckhardt, Jr.
1970 ~ 2015
Loving husband and father, William Ray Eckhardt Jr., 44, of Spanish Fork passed away from heart failure on March 7, 2015. He was born April 3, 1970 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California to William Ray Eckhardt Sr. and Rea Fay Eckhardt.
He grew up in Jacksonville, Arkansas where he played in the band. His father passed away in 1989 and he moved with his mother to Mona, Utah to be closer to her family. While living in Mona he met his eternal sweetheart, Angela Gibson. They started dating, and were soon spending every moment together. He got ready to serve a mission. She promised she would wait, so he served an LDS mission to Louisville, Kentucky where he learned to love the people, and the gospel.
After he returned he was sealed to Angela in the Manti Temple on February 12, 1993. They made their first home in Ephraim, moving soon after to Logan. Billy worked at Lynn's Audio and Video, and then was the head of security for EA Miller. Later, they moved to Spanish Fork where Billy completed a Computer Networking Degree at Provo College. He worked at Meadow Gold Dairy, and at Books and Fun, before settling in at his favorite job, Stewart Air Services.
They were blessed with four beautiful daughters who kept them busy and filled their life with craziness. Brittany Nicole, Audrey Sue, Courtney Fay, and Zoey Mae brought light and laughter into their eternal family and kept them on their toes. Billy was a supportive father, always on hand for the many activities, plays, 4-H meetings, and school programs that filled their life. If they needed something, Billy would always find a way.
Billy loved old books, especially scriptures. He was always on the look-out, and loved to comb the shelves of old book stores and DI in search of his next big find. He liked to tell people that he bought and sold old books, but mostly he just bought them and treasured them. In recent years he had begun to repair and refinish old books, another thing that brought him a lot of joy. He loved to watch WWE wrestling, listen to 80's music, and talk about his daughters or his books to anyone who would listen. He learned to love traveling, as they carted their family on road trips from one end of the country to the other.
He served in many positions in the LDS church, but his favorite was nursery teacher. He loved to sit on the floor with the kids and play. Though he looked a little gruff, he was a big teddy bear who loved to make babies laugh, and would help out anyone in need.
He is survived by his wife, Angela, daughters, Brittany, Audrey, Courtney and Zoey, a sister: Sherry (Randy) Baker, brothers: Randall (Iva) Eckhardt, Ben (Laura) O'Barr, Yancy (Harriet) O'Barr, and Patrick (Wylene) O'Barr. Preceded in death by his father: William Ray, mother: Rea Fay, step-father: James Smithson, brother: Andrew Eckhardt, sister, Tammy, and nephew: Matthew Baker.
Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday March 11, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. in the LDS Church located at 1750 East 750 South, Spanish Fork. Viewings will be held in the same location on Tuesday from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. and on Wednesday from 9:45 -10:45 a.m. prior to services. Services are under the direction of Walker Funeral Home.
The family offers special thanks to the many community heroes, friends, and neighbors who responded to the call and came to help.
Condolences may be sent to the family at: www.walkerobits.com
Alice Robertson Cotton Sparks
1920 - 2015
Alice Juanita Robertson Cotton Sparks was born on January 4, 1920, in Nephi, Utah, to Maud Bowers Robertson and John Edward Robertson. Alice died peacefully, as she wanted it, from complications incident to age in her own home surrounded by family and friends.
At age six the small family moved to Long Beach, California, where her father opened a grocery store. Alice went to school in Long Beach. She graduated from Long Beach Poly High School in 1938 and went to business college. Her first job was at the telephone company. In high school she met the love of her life, John Harold Cotton (Jack). They were married in Las Vegas September 21, l940. Jack preceded her in death September 29, 1972. Marriage solemnized in Jordan River Temple in 1999. She married Earl Sparks in 1980. He died in 1984.
In 1954 Jack and Alice returned to Nephi where Jack opened Jack's Refrigeration and Appliance. Later, Alice and Jack moved back to Long Beach in l964. There she worked for the welfare department and headed her department.
She moved back to Utah in 1973 where she worked as an administrative assistant for the Salt Lake Airport Traffic Control. She finished her career as the office manager at the Salt Lake Home giving service to the elderly.
She did not waste her years after retirement. She put in many hours as a pink lady at Cottonwood Hospital and did extractions and indexing for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
She loved to play the organ. It brought her great joy in her later years. She loved being out of doors. A picnic in the mountains by a stream was heaven to her.
She is preceded in death by her parents, her two husbands, and two daughters, Pamela Russell and Kathy Cotton. She had four children, Michael John Cotton (Jo); John Edward Cotton (Cherie), Pamela Russell; and Kathy Cotton; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
The family thanks the following for the wonderful and loving care given: Karen and Scott Curtis, Ina and Annette from hospice, and Tifanny So, her granddaughter.
Funeral services will be held Friday, March 13, at 11 a.m. at Goff Mortuary, 8090 So. State St., Midvale, with a viewing one hour prior to services. Interment, Vine Bluff Cemetery, Nephi.
