Louise Sparer

Louise K. Sparer was an ambitious and compassionate woman who put her heart and soul into everything she did. Her years of dedicated work afforded her both a happy place in life, and a family that loved her dearly.

Though the world was embroiled in a great and terrible war, the preceding decades had done much to improve the health of the nation. As domestic industries expanded, thousands of immigrants poured in from overseas to fill the surplus jobs. Each of these immigrants brought a little piece of their culture with them, and these pieces amalgamated into new and exciting American traditions.

Louise entered this world on December 24, 1917, in St. Louis, Missouri. Her parents, John and Katharine (Martin) Hess, were German immigrants who came to the United States seeking better lives for their family. Louise was the fourth of nine children, John, Henry, Albert, Reinhart, Phillip, Siegfried and William, and Ruth. Her father was a butcher by trade and her mother lovingly stayed home to raise the Hess children. The Hess family was members of the New Apostolic Church in St. Louis where her father was the Rector of the congregation and Louise played the organ for all three Sunday services in Hungarian, German and English. The children looked forward to going out for ice cream after Sunday services, which was always a special treat. Her family often traveled to Kansas City to visit some friends, and it was expected that they would have to stop some time on their journey to change a tire. Louise fluently spoke German, but once she started school, she was required to speak English. Like so many young girls of her age, Louise’s formal education stopped in the 8th grade in order to be a support to her family.

Louise’s life took a new direction when she met John Sparer, a New Apostolic minister from Cincinnati, Ohio. John was a store manager for a Kroger grocery store in Cincinnati and was on his way to Kansas City by way of St. Louis when he was invited to stop off at Louise’s house. Louise’s father was called away for a week, and he asked John to hold the Sunday service while he was gone. This was the start of a beautiful relationship for John and Louise. They soon began dating and fell completely in love. They were married on September 22, 1940, in her home congregation in St. Louis by Rev. John Erb. John and Louise would be blessed with 63 wonderful years together.

During World War II, John served in the Air Navy as an aviation mechanic from April 1944 until January 1946. While John served his country, Louise lived with her parents in St. Louis who helped welcome John and Louise’s first child, daughter Janet, on November 23, 1945. After his military duty ended, John left his job at Kroger and moved his family to suburban Chicago, Illinois, where he worked in the administrative offices of the New Apostolic Church. John and Louise also rejoiced with the birth of another daughter, Sandi, in 1949, and completing the Sparer family in 1952, with their son, John.

In the 43 years John worked in the NAC administrative offices, he oversaw eleven congregations in the district. This meant frequent moves for the Sparer family. They lived in Brookfield in 1946, Norridge, Des Plaines in 1963 and Lake Zurich, Illinois in 1974. During this time, Louise was content staying at home lovingly raising her children. She was a wonderful mother and filled their house with love and warmth. After Sandi was about twelve, Louise started to work outside the home at various jobs. She held a job at Aetna Insurance for a while, and a photo developing company, McDonald’s and a nursery.

John and Louise enjoyed traveling and after John retired, they experienced many wonderful trips to Europe (France, Switzerland and England), Belize, Hawaii and Florida. They especially liked to visit Holland, Michigan, where their daughter, Sandi, and her husband, Wes, lived. In 1991, while celebrating Thanksgiving together, John and Louise took a tour of the recently built Freedom Village. They were so taken with this beautiful retirement village that they registered to be residents before returning to Chicago that weekend. They sold their home in Chicago in 1992, and were permanent residents of Holland, Michigan, in April of 1992. They quickly took their rightful place among the Holland congregation of the New Apostolic Church. Louise enjoyed playing the organ for services and joyfully sang in the choir as well as made flower arrangements to adorn the altar for services.

When relaxing, Louise liked to pass the time doing crossword puzzles or knitting and was also a talented seamstress making the bridesmaids’ dresses for both John and Sandi’s weddings. She also enjoyed a nice drive with her dog companion, Roxie, perhaps including a shopping trip along the way. She continued her lifelong love of music by not only playing the organ at church, but also playing the piano and enjoyed listening to jazz and classical music. She was a fantastic cook with her specialty being German and oriental foods. She cherished time spent with her granddaughters, Malia and Lisa, making Christmas cookies or spoiling her grandson, Jason, with a big plate of fluffy blueberry pancakes. Louise also enjoyed entertaining and her home was always a welcoming bethany for all who came to visit. She was always lighthearted and enjoyed having her funny bone tickled by a good joke.

While driving alone on one occasion, Louise became involved in a car accident when her car hit another turning car and was pushed into a telephone pole. By God’s grace, Louise had no broken bones, but suffered a brain injury causing her to spend a week in Blodgett Hospital and three weeks at Mary Free Bed for rehabilitation. Because of the accident, Louise sustained some memory loss and gradually over time her condition worsened. In March of 1999, Louise was transferred to the Inn at Freedom Village where she would remain until her death.

Louise K. Sparer entered eternity on Monday, January 12, 2004, at the Inn at Freedom Village. Her two infant sons, her son-in-law, Melvin Noguchi, and her six brothers and one sister preceded her in death. She is survived by her husband, John Sparer, her children, Janet Noguchi of Lake Zurich, IL, Sandi and Wes Heidema of Holland, MI, John W. Sparer of Holland, MI; nine grandchildren, nine great grandchildren; her brother, Reinhart and Walli Hess of Wheeling, IL, sister-in-law, Margot Hess of St. Louis, MO; several nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services will be held on Friday, January 16, at 2:00 p.m. at the New Apostolic Church, 117 West 14th Street, with Rev. Karl Geipel officiating. Visitation will be held on Thursday, January 15, from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. at the Mulder Chapel, 188 West 32nd Street. Entombment will take place at Rest Lawn Memorial Gardens. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can read Louise's life story, leave a memory, order flowers, or make a memorial contribution to the New Apostolic Church Youth Fund or Hospice of Holland. Arrangements by Dykstra Funeral Homes, Mulder Chapel.

Louise will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

“Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”(Ch. Ap. Fehr’s watchword for 2003 from Rev. 20:6)