Martha Carter

(From Konantz Warden Funeral Home)

Martha Ann Carter, beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, and friend, passed away on December 22, 2025, at the age of 82. She was born on November 19, 1943, in Waco, Missouri, at home by the Spring River, to Estel Scott Rooks Sr. and Euewellah Joe (Taylor) Rooks. Martha and her siblings were adopted by other families. Martha was adopted by Ray H. and Una May Carter, who raised her in Barton County, Missouri, where she spent the rest of her life.

Martha was a proud resident of Barton County, attending school in Golden City, Missouri. She worked in various roles throughout her life, from private nursing to cooking and housekeeping at Barton County Memorial Hospital, where she spent over 15 years of dedicated service. Her work ethic and compassion for others left a lasting impact on all those who knew her.

She was a gifted lady who made quilts and sewed her children beautiful clothes without needing patterns. She drew pictures and drew homemade cards for her family and to sell. She also read her bible and translated the stories into picture form. Her creativity moved into the kitchen where she was a cook who didn’t need a measuring spoon or recipe very often. She would just tweak the meal as she went along and would have a wonderful meal.

Martha’s life was marked by her deep faith and love for family. She was married to Loyd William Sparks on July 25, 1962. After his untimely passing in January 1971, she then married Lyle James Sparks, on November 17, 1971. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1977. Throughout her life, Martha’s faith remained central, and she was an active member of her church. She taught Sunday School, led Bible studies in her home, and played an instrumental role in church activities. Martha was also a talented artist, drawing for her church and creating quilts for family and friends. While working at BCMH, she organized rummage sales for Relay for Life and raised between $800 and $1,000 from those sales. She also made quilts to sell at the hospital for the same cause.

Martha was deeply committed to her family. She is survived by her children: Pamela (Mike) Sherman of Liberal, Missouri, James (Kristin) Sparks of Indiana, and Clara (Charlie) Smith of Sheldon, Missouri, grandchildren James Sherman, Aubery Williams, Audery Hart, Matt Smith, Casey Sparks, Courtney Butler, and Kayla Sparks and a few great grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister, Thelma Marie (Sue) Hutcherson and brother Frank Rooks.

She is preceded in death by two husbands; her parents; daughter, Connie Combs, grandson Micheal Serman Jr., sister Arma June, brother Estel Scott Rooks Jr; half-brothers Donald Keith, Carson Keith, Joesph Keith, and half-sister Linda Kay.

Martha’s faith journey was one of profound personal growth. Though she did not know she was adopted until she got married to Loyd. She embraced her biological family with love and gratitude. She was overjoyed to reconnect with her family members, including siblings, cousins, nieces and nephews in a heartfelt reunion. She was a strong believer in the power of prayer and always prayed for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, desiring that they would come to know the Lord.

Martha’s life was filled with a blend of triumphs and struggles, but she always remained steadfast in her faith and devotion to her loved ones. She believed deeply in the importance of family, and her legacy will live on through the generations she nurtured. Martha’s love for her family was unwavering, and her greatest wish was to see her loved ones join her in Heaven, praising God and singing His praises forever.

Martha Ann Carter will be greatly missed by all who knew her. Her kindness, strength, and unwavering faith will remain a guiding light for her family and all who were blessed to have crossed her path.

If you would like to make a donation in lieu of flowers the family would appriciate assistance with final expenses.

A funeral service will be held on Monday December 29, 2025 ay 11:00 am at Konantz Warden Funeral Home followed with interment at Morehead Cemetery.

Martha Ann Carter’s Autobiography (as written by her)

I, Martha Ann Carter, was born on November 19, 1943, near the Spring River at Waco, Missouri. Unfortunately, things didn’t go well with my birth parents, and I, along with three of my siblings, was adopted. My brother, Estel Scott Rooks Jr., and two sisters, Thelma Marie Rooks (who was later renamed Cynthia Suzanne) and Arma June, were all placed with different families. I was adopted by Ray and Una May Carter of Newport, Missouri. I attended school there until I was about 12 years old, after which I had to ride the school bus to attend Golden City schools.

I never knew I was adopted until I was around 50 years old. It was then, while my adoptive mom was in a nursing home, that she told me. When I was 16, I dropped out of school and went to work at the Blue Top Café in Lamar, Missouri, where Barney Eagon was my boss. After that, I worked at Houston Clean All Laundry and dry cleaners, mainly ironing shirts and doing flat work like sheets and pillowcases.

At the age of 17, I met my first husband, Loyd William Sparks. We began dating, and I got to know his family, who came from Yankton, South Dakota. They lived on a farm near Newport, Missouri, where they farmed and milked cows. Llyd and I eventually got married, and together we had three children: Pamela Jane Sparks, Connie Sue Sparks, and James David Sparks. Tragically, Loyd passed away on January 8, 1971, while I was five months pregnant with our son, James. James was born on May 10, 1971, the same year his father passed away.

A year later, I married Loyd’s brother, Lyle James Sparks. Together, we had a daughter, Clara May Sparks, who was born on February 2, 1975. Our marriage ended in divorce in 1977, and Lyle has since passed away.

As a young woman, I worked on our family farm, and as I grew older, I worked privately caring for the elderly. I also worked as an evening cook and later in housekeeping at Barton County Memorial Hospital (BCMH). I retired from the hospital due to a heart condition. While working at BCMH, I organized rummage sales for Relay for Life, and we raised between $800 and $1,000 from those sales. I also made quilts to sell at the hospital for the same cause.

Throughout my life, I was deeply involved in my church. I drew artwork for my church, taught Sunday School, and participated in the prayer chain. A few years ago, I even held Bible studies in my home. There were both good and bad times in my life, and I had my share of regrets. When I was 19, I began attending Grace Baptist Church with a sister-in-law. It was there that I was saved and baptized. However, I didn't truly begin growing in the Lord until around 1994, when I prayed earnestly to God to help me find my biological family. He answered my prayers in a way that I could have never imagined.

Thanks to the help of my first daughter, Pam, we found my biological family, including one sister, one brother, and aa half-brother, three half-brothers in Georgia, and a number of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins. I will never forget that first family reunion. God truly answered my prayers, and I have always been a firm believer that God works in mysterious ways.

Since then, I’ve prayed that my grandchildren and great-grandchildren would come to know the Lord and join the church. It is my deepest wish that all my grandchildren will one day be with me in Heaven, praising God and singing His praises, alongside my children and their spouses. I love my family with all my heart and don’t want a single one of them to be lost.