William "Bill" Sparks
1951 - 2025
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Invite friends and family to read the obituary and add memories.
William "Bill" Sparks passed away peacefully with his family by his side on Wednesday, the 22nd of October 2025, at the age of 74, after a three-year battle with Alzheimer's.
Bill, a native Californian, was born in Los Angeles to Genevieve and William F. Sparks. As the son of a Marine Corps officer, he spent his childhood moving often with his family and making friends wherever he went. Bill lived across the United States and abroad, including New York, Japan, Hawaii, Texas, and Virginia. Eventually, the Sparks family settled in Fallbrook, California,
just outside of Camp Pendleton, where Bill graduated from Fallbrook High School in 1969. Known for his kindness, humor, and easygoing nature, he made a lasting impression on everyone he met.
Bill thrived intellectually at the University of Riverside, where he majored in Psychobiology and was one credit short of a chemistry degree. After Riverside, his passion for chemistry took off. Graduating in 1973, Bill studied the works of Dr. Derald Langham at the Gensea and the Sesame Foundation. In 1974, he met the DeLuca family and moved to Houston, where he began the next chapter of his life as a scientist, researcher, and entrepreneur.
Bill's professional legacy is defined by his remarkable 48-year career with Biotics Research Corporation, where he served as cofounder, Vice-President, and Chief Scientist. From the company's earliest days in the mid-1970s, Bill helped lay the foundation for what would become a trusted name in nutritional science. Over the decades, Bill's work impacted his colleagues, countless healthcare professionals, and their clients worldwide. He continued to serve the company faithfully until his retirement, when he stepped away to focus on his health and his courageous battle with Alzheimer's. His influence will remain deeply woven into the fabric of Biotics Research and the lives of all who worked alongside him.
In 1978, Bill reconnected with Gretchen Bender, whom he had first met years earlier in Southern California when he was her brother's college roommate. Gretchen was also a student at UCR, and their friendship grew into something deeper. They were married in Tustin, California, in 1980, and returned to Houston, Texas, where they built a loving home and raised three daughters in Bellaire. It seemed all roads led to Houston, and for Bill and Gretchen, it truly felt meant to be.
Outside of work and parenting, Bill found true joy in his garden at the Sparks house in Bellaire. If he wasn't picking something up from the hardware store, reading a science journal, or watching golf on TV, you could almost always find him in the yard, hands in the dirt and a smile on his face. He built his own pond, nurtured rows of tomatoes and hot peppers, and created a thriving pollinator garden filled with native Texas plants. Long before it became popular, Bill made his own compost and took pride in caring for the earth in small, meaningful ways. His yard became his sanctuary, a place of peace, purpose, and quiet joy that reflected his patience, curiosity, and deep love for nature and science.
Bill is survived by his beloved wife of 45 years, Gretchen Bender Sparks, and their three daughters, who were his greatest joy. He leaves behind Sarah Duran and her husband, Tony, along with their children, Diego and Lucia; Kristen Wolf and her husband, Alexander, and their daughters, Emily and Evelyn; and Claire Osborne and her husband, Justin, and their daughter, Joanna. He is also survived by his sister, Janet Sparks, as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins who loved him dearly.
A celebration of Bill's life will be held on Saturday, November 1, at 4:00 p.m. at ChristChurch Presbyterian, located at 5001 Bellaire Blvd, Bellaire, TX 77401, where Bill served as an elder and active member for over 40 years. A reception will immediately follow at the church, where family and friends are invited to share memories and honor a well-lived life. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to ChristChurch Presbyterian or the Alzheimer's Association.
Bill, a native Californian, was born in Los Angeles to Genevieve and William F. Sparks. As the son of a Marine Corps officer, he spent his childhood moving often with his family and making friends wherever he went. Bill lived across the United States and abroad, including New York, Japan, Hawaii, Texas, and Virginia. Eventually, the Sparks family settled in Fallbrook, California,
just outside of Camp Pendleton, where Bill graduated from Fallbrook High School in 1969. Known for his kindness, humor, and easygoing nature, he made a lasting impression on everyone he met.
Bill thrived intellectually at the University of Riverside, where he majored in Psychobiology and was one credit short of a chemistry degree. After Riverside, his passion for chemistry took off. Graduating in 1973, Bill studied the works of Dr. Derald Langham at the Gensea and the Sesame Foundation. In 1974, he met the DeLuca family and moved to Houston, where he began the next chapter of his life as a scientist, researcher, and entrepreneur.
Bill's professional legacy is defined by his remarkable 48-year career with Biotics Research Corporation, where he served as cofounder, Vice-President, and Chief Scientist. From the company's earliest days in the mid-1970s, Bill helped lay the foundation for what would become a trusted name in nutritional science. Over the decades, Bill's work impacted his colleagues, countless healthcare professionals, and their clients worldwide. He continued to serve the company faithfully until his retirement, when he stepped away to focus on his health and his courageous battle with Alzheimer's. His influence will remain deeply woven into the fabric of Biotics Research and the lives of all who worked alongside him.
In 1978, Bill reconnected with Gretchen Bender, whom he had first met years earlier in Southern California when he was her brother's college roommate. Gretchen was also a student at UCR, and their friendship grew into something deeper. They were married in Tustin, California, in 1980, and returned to Houston, Texas, where they built a loving home and raised three daughters in Bellaire. It seemed all roads led to Houston, and for Bill and Gretchen, it truly felt meant to be.
Outside of work and parenting, Bill found true joy in his garden at the Sparks house in Bellaire. If he wasn't picking something up from the hardware store, reading a science journal, or watching golf on TV, you could almost always find him in the yard, hands in the dirt and a smile on his face. He built his own pond, nurtured rows of tomatoes and hot peppers, and created a thriving pollinator garden filled with native Texas plants. Long before it became popular, Bill made his own compost and took pride in caring for the earth in small, meaningful ways. His yard became his sanctuary, a place of peace, purpose, and quiet joy that reflected his patience, curiosity, and deep love for nature and science.
Bill is survived by his beloved wife of 45 years, Gretchen Bender Sparks, and their three daughters, who were his greatest joy. He leaves behind Sarah Duran and her husband, Tony, along with their children, Diego and Lucia; Kristen Wolf and her husband, Alexander, and their daughters, Emily and Evelyn; and Claire Osborne and her husband, Justin, and their daughter, Joanna. He is also survived by his sister, Janet Sparks, as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins who loved him dearly.
A celebration of Bill's life will be held on Saturday, November 1, at 4:00 p.m. at ChristChurch Presbyterian, located at 5001 Bellaire Blvd, Bellaire, TX 77401, where Bill served as an elder and active member for over 40 years. A reception will immediately follow at the church, where family and friends are invited to share memories and honor a well-lived life. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to ChristChurch Presbyterian or the Alzheimer's Association.
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