Thelma Sparks Wheeler Mccollum

Mrs. Thelma Sparks Wheeler McCollum, 91, a resident of Transitional Health Services and formerly of McLain Road, Kannapolis, died Tuesday, February 8, 2005, at NorthEast Medical Center. Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, February 12, 2005, at Lady's Funeral Home Chapel. Dr. Dave Holladay and the Rev. Steve Davis will officiate. Interment will follow at Carolina Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Friday, February 11, 2005, at Lady's Funeral Home. Born January 25, 1914, in Wilkes County, she was a daughter of the late Frank Sparks and Corzetta Call Sparks. She retired several years ago from the spinning room of Cannon Mills. She was a member of Shadybrook Baptist Church and Poston Perkins VFW Post 8989 Auxiliary. She enjoyed bingo and participating in water exercise at the Kannapolis YMCA. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two husbands, James Everette Wheeler and J.C. McCollum; two sisters, Grace Sparks Bell and Pauline Sparks Oakley; and two brothers, Robert Sparks and Rex Sparks. Survivors include two daughters, Elaine Wheeler Sutphin and her husband, Ronda, of Taylorsville and Donna Wheeler Little and her husband, Thomas, of Charlotte; one sister, Helen Sparks Oakley Irvan of Greensboro; a brother, Thurmond Sparks and his wife, Mable, of North Wilkesboro; three grandchildren, Debbie Little Dean and her husband, Dave, Thomas William Little, Jr. and his wife, Tracy, and Valerie Sutphin Beaver and her husband, Brian; five great-grandchildren, David R. Dean, Donna R. Dean, Kathryn Beaver, Thomas W. Little III and Rachel Dare Little; two step-grandchildren, Jeff McCollum and Bonnie McCollum. The family expresses appreciation to Dr. Vincent Keipper, Dr. Scott Gross and Dr. Barbara Barone, and the staff of Transitional Health Services, for their excellent care and kindness. They also wish to thank Rev. Steve Davis, Dr. Dave Holladay and the Shadybrook Baptist Church family for their support, prayers and visits. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Shadybrook Baptist Church, 1009 Oakwood Avenue, Kannapolis, NC 28081.