Captain Buddy Tom Sparks MSC, USN

Captain Buddy Tom Sparks, MSC, USN, was born on July 21, 1941, in Denton, Texas, to Robert and Virginia Sparks. He graduated from Birdville High School in Haltom City, Texas in 1959. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from George Washington University and a Master’s in Business Administration from Southern Illinois University.

Buddy enlisted in the United States Navy in 1960 at age 19. After completing recruit training and Hospital Corps School in San Diego, he served at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, where he met his future wife, Gayle, a U.S. Marine. His subsequent assignments included Portsmouth, Virginia, and Tripler General Hospital in Hawaii from 1965 to 1968. In 1968, he was commissioned as an Ensign and first served at the Naval Hospital Annapolis before attending the Naval School of Health Care Administration in Bethesda in 1969.

Buddy’s service included deployments in Vietnam with the 1st Medical Battalion, 1st Marine Division, FMF, and in Okinawa with the 3rd Marine Division, FMF. Between 1971 and 1978, he served at Naval Regional Medical Centers in Oakland, California, and Kapolei, Hawaii. He returned to Texas in 1978 as the Patient Affairs Officer at Naval Hospital Corpus Christi. In 1982 he was assigned to Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, then returned to Corpus Christi as Executive Officer from 1983 to 1985.

He served on the staff of the Fleet Hospital Program in Washington, D.C., until 1989, and as Executive Officer at the Naval Hospital in Cherry Point, North Carolina, until 1991. He then returned to Corpus Christi and served as Commanding Officer of the Naval Hospital until 1993. His final posting was as Commanding Officer of the Naval Hospital in Sigonella, Italy, before retiring as a Captain after more than 34 years of service.

Captain Sparks received numerous medals and awards during his distinguished military career, including the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, and Good Conduct Medal.

After retiring, Captain Sparks settled in Corpus Christi with his wife. Known simply as Buddy to his friends and family and Pepa to his grandchildren, he was a deeply kind-hearted man who always made time for his loved ones. Buddy had many talents and hobbies. He was a great fisherman, a very talented woodworker, and Italian bread maker extraordinaire. But he would probably count his ten years growing vegetables and selling them at the South Side Farmers Market in Corpus Christi among his proudest achievements in retirement. He continued to serve his community as a 29-year member of the Corpus Christi Mustangs and a volunteer at The South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center. Buddy had a special place in his heart for his animals, especially his cat "Red," who often assisted him in the vegetable garden, and his beloved dogs Zeus and Zoe.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his elder sister Carroll Barrow, and his younger brother Warren.

Buddy is survived by his loving wife and best friend, Gayle, his only child Ginger, and his grandchildren Allan Johnson V and Christina Johnson.

A Full Military Honors Ceremony will be held at the Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery on Friday, August 9, 2024 at 1:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Semper K9 Assistance Dogs in Buddy’s honor at www.semperk9.org.