Paul Ray (Toby) Sparks

Paul Ray (Toby) Sparks was bom 31 August 1938 in Cliffside, NC, the eleventh and youngest child of Robert Lee Sparks and Ebber Sloan Bostic. He delivered the AM Charlotte Observer at age twelve, worked for Guy Hamnck at the Cliffside Garage at age fourteen, worked in Cliffside Mills after school and summers, and worked at a Service Station-Grocery store for Billy and Rachel Condrey in 1956. Toby graduated from Cliffside High School in 1956 where he excelled in football and wood shop classes.

On 22 April 1956 Paul (Toby) married Patricia Ann Laws of Caroleen, NC, Gaffney SC. After graduating from high school he returned to work in Cliffside Mills while living in the Six Points Community. He attended Gardner-Webb College for a brief period in 1960. In 1961 he relocated to Elon College, NC where he and Pat accepted employment with Carolina Biological Supply Company . While employed there he attended Elon College, receiving a B. S. degree in Business Administration in 1969. Paul (Toby) held various positions from packer to Assistant Quotation Department Manager while at Carolina Biological Supply Company. He was then promoted to Administrative Vice-president of a subsidiary, Granite Diagnostics, resigning from that position in December 1980 to become self-employed in woodworking.

In January 1981 Paul (Toby) formed a North Carolina Corporation, P. R. Sparks Enterprises Inc. along with his brother Carl and nephew Carl, Jr. P. R. Sparks Enterprises, Inc. has operated since that date as Perfection Products Company in Greensboro, NC, engaged in custom woodworking.

Patricia Ann Laws was born 8 October 1937 in Caroleen, NC, the third and younqest child of Aussie General Laws and Mamie Eugenia Smith. She graduated from Tri-High School, Caroleen, NC in 1956. While living in the Six Points Community she was employed in the office at Stonecutter Mills, Spindale, NC After moving to Elon College she was employed in various positions at Carolina Biological Supply Company, serving as Head, Cash Sales Department and Assistant Purchasing Agent from 1961-1980. Since that time she has worked with Perfection Products Company in Greensboro.

Paul (Toby) and Pat have two children: Gina Raye born 4 August 1969 at Alamance County Hospital in Burlington, NC and Paul Ray, Jr., born 16 September 1974 at Alamance County Hospital.

The Sparks reside at Elon College, NC.

From “Some of the Ancestors and Descendents of Robert Lee Sparks and Ebber Sloan Bostic” by Jimmy Louis Sparks, 1999