Donna Sparks

Donna Sparks, loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend, went to be with her Lord and savior Jesus Christ on Tuesday March 25,2025 after being diagnosed with Cmml leukemia three years ago. She was 84 years old.

Donna graduated from South Houston high school in 1959. She was the editor of the school paper. Her parents were Donald and Sara Chambers. She attended Baylor University in 1960. Later on, she transferred to the University of Houston. She finished her bachelors degree and masters degree with a 4.0 GPA at Houston Christian University. She was a Reading specialist and certified in Elementary Education, Bilingual Education , and ESL K-12. She taught at Almeda Baptist Church, Houston ISD, Alief ISD, Conroe ISD, and retired at Shepherd ISD.

She married Tom Colburn in 1961 who was a photographer for the Houston Chronicle, where she worked. Tom won National News photographer of the year in 1967. Their children were Tom Colburn, Don Colburn and Syble Simmons. Tom Colburn died in 1987. She married Terry Dean Sparks in 1991. They spent years traveling in their RV and enjoyed living on the lake. He died in 2019.

She is survived by her brother, Keith Chambers; her cousin Maurice Stevens and wife Rosie; her children, Don Colburn and his wife Dawn, and Syble Simmons; her grandchildren, Jacob Simmons and Joshua Simmons and his wife Megan; her Great grandchildren, Emily, Christopher and Evelyn; and her dog Sparky.

We will have a small family graveside service at Laurel Hill Baptist Cemetery in Coldspring. In Lieu of flowers, she requested that a donation to Samaritans Purse be made in her name or the charity of your choice. 

All arrangements handled under the trusted care of Pace-Stancil Funeral Home.