Mary Lee Sparks Waters

Jan. 23, 1938 – Jan. 1, 2026

Mary Lee Sparks Waters, 87, passed from this life into the next on January 1, 2026, in St. George, Utah. 

Mary Lee was born January 23, 1938, in Thermopolis to Bill and Mary (Asay) Sparks in an apartment over the JC Penney store. She was the second of four children. 

Mary Lee attended school in Lovell. As a 17-year-old young lady, she was waiting tables at Dude’s Cafe in Lovell when she met her future husband, Jerry Waters. Mary Lee and Jerry were married in Lovell on October 17, 1955. There were four children born to this marriage, Marica, Shawn, Krystal and Denette.

Mary Lee and Jerry lived in Lovell for the first couple of years after marriage and moved frequently until they eventually moved to Big Piney, Wyoming. Mary Lee was involved in a number of family businesses there. They opened a sporting goods store, owned a motel and also owned the laundromat in Marbleton. In addition, Mary Lee kept the books and helped with the family trucking business, Waters and Son Water Service. 

On top of the many business ventures she was the justice of the peace in Marbleton for a few years before the family moved to Mesquite, Nevada. In Mesquite she was a dispatcher and later the lead dispatcher for the Mesquite Police Department, serving with the police department for 17 years. During the time in Mesquite she was also the caregiver for her mother. 

Mary Lee loved the outdoors and especially loved the mountains and desert country of Wyoming, spending many days camping and many hours searching for rocks and arrowheads. She loved getting in her car or pickup and driving to the mountains or desert just for a ride. After moving to Nevada, she learned to enjoy the rides in the desert country there, but her heart was always in the Wyoming mountains and deserts.

Mary Lee was preceded in death by her husband, mother, father and one brother, Ted.

She is survived by brothers Keith (Yasue) Sparks and Dennis (Jackie) Sparks; children Marica Patterson, Shawn Waters, Krystal Waters and Denette Babcock; grandchildren Aaron (Mandi) Swartz, Wesley Waters and partner Janell, Courtney Waters and partner Alex, Triston Waters and partner Stephanie, Brandon Babcock and partner Brianna and Christopher Babcock and partner Alexis; a number of great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

No funeral service will be held, but a memorial service will be held at a later date. Burial will take place January 13 in Cowley at the Sparks family plot with a dedication of the grave.