Tucker Sparkman

Tucker Sparkman passed away quietly late July 2024 in Seattle, cared for by the wonderful Foss Memory Care Unit & Rosewood staff, and surrounded by immediate & extended family. He had struggled with FTD valiantly & with grace for some time, particularly in the last 3 years. He was born in Seattle’s Doctors Hospital in 1949 – a descendant of a local settler family in the west Lake Union/Fremont neighborhood—of medical parents, Don & Peg Sparkman, a cardiologist & master gardener, & a retired RN & environmental advocate, respectively. The family based in Seattle, moved to Olympia for 6 years but continued to spend many happy summers on Sunlight Beach.

He attended UNM & UW for his B.S. after getting certified as an EMT & in solar energy. He design-built a passive solar greenhouse with his brother on the family’s Whidbey house. He worked on the state nutrition survey for Dr. Labbé of UW Lab Medicine in college & was the first courier for Community Services/UW Lab Medicine, where he continued to work through his career, managing the courier service for much of it. 

He had many adventures on the way to his college degree, spending a musical period in L.A., following the Stones, Bob Marley, John Fogarty & Clifton Chenier among others. He was a community builder & enjoyed rallying family for Polar Bear Plunges, school friends from CWA & OHS wrestling team for reunions & helped organize staff gatherings, notably at Lincoln Park. He stayed loyal to the PNW, missing mightily the waters & bays that he grew up on in Olympia & Seattle, after testing life in L.A. & Albuquerque—but had great memories & adventures in both places. He cherished his childhood & high school friends & close dorm mate from early college years & advocated for his busy courier crew. He was beyond proud of his son & loved skiing, camping & hiking expeditions with him. 

In the 80's he took classes in NW carving & design from Bill Holm & Duane Pasco, & produced some fine work. A music lover, he played guitar & wrote songs which he recorded in collaboration with his band, The Holy Crows & left stacks of lyrics which he wrote over the years in class notebooks & on clipboards. In late 2021 he finalized recordings @ Garey Shelton’s Mercer Island recording studio, for a 2nd album: Steal the Moon. Also a member of the People’s Rhythm Party, from the 90’s well into Y2K, he applied for performance time at Folklife for both the PRP & Holy Crows for a decade.

Tuck is much missed by his wife of 45 years, Nina, his son Gerrit (Kaitlyn) & grandson; his siblings, Deb (Håkan), Dave (Betty), Maggie (Jim), & beloved nieces & nephews, losing both parents at the end of the 20th century. 

Celebration of Life TBA, Spring 2025.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are welcomed at: Earth Justice, Trust for Public Land, American Indian College Fund, FeedTheChildren.org, DoctorsWithoutBorders.org, or a charity dear to your heart.

For more information, contact: nchambers7@comcast.net