Obituaries
 By  Staff Reports Published 
6:08 pm Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Virginia Sparks Goss

Virginia Sparks Goss

March 5, 2011

Virginia Sparks Goss, 83, of Russellville, beloved grandmother, mother, sister, aunt, and daughter, passed away on Saturday, March 5, 2011 at Burns Nursing Home after a brave battle with a long illness.

Virginia was born on July 1, 1927 in Tremont, Miss. to Myrtle Taylor and John T. Sparks, one of seven children.  She grew up in Iuka, Miss. and moved to Russellville in 1939.  After marriage, she spent many years raising a family of five children in Chicago, Ill.  After the death of her husband, James A. Goss in 1975, she moved to the Atlanta region in Georgia where she worked at Hitco until retiring in 1992.

Virginia was a very talented, personable, and independent person.  She enjoyed long walks, flowers, reading, quilting, traveling, but most of all, visiting with her children and their families.   They always felt her love and knew they were the most important part of her life.

She is survived by her four children, daughter, Mona Lewis and husband, Tom, of Racine, Wis.; sons, Allen Goss and wife, Martha, of Russellville, Ala.; Jamie Goss and wife, Marie, of Chicago, Ill.; Daniel Goss, of Chicago, Ill.; special family friend, Keith Conant, of Chicago, Ill.; 10 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren; sisters, Winnie Parsons, of Tuscumbia, Geraldine Spivey, Betty Brown, and Frances Hargett, all of Russellville; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 31 years, James Allen Goss; daughter, Carolyn Johnson; parents, J.T. and Myrtle Sparks; brothers, Sherman Sparks, Jay Sparks; and half-sister, Opal Walker.

Funeral services were held Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at Spry Memorial Chapel.  Burial was in Knights of Pythias Cemetery.

Her grandsons were pallbearers.

We will miss our mother dearly and will honor her memory always.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to the personnel and staff at Burns Nursing Home for the love and care of our mother for the past five years.

Also on Franklin County Times
Franklin County Anglers place in Lake Holt tournament
Franklin County, News, Sports
Maria Camp camp@frankllncountytimes.com 
March 13, 2026
Miguel Willingham and Ben Wilkins placed eighth on the senior side with 8.53 lbs. Si Hill and Titus Nix place in the top 25 on the senior side with 5....
Housing authority PILOT is waived
Main, News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
March 11, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — City councilmembers recently voted to waive a payment in lieu of taxes, often called PILOT, from the Russellville Housing Authority. Pu...
Playground safety concerns are addressed
Main, News, Russellville, ...
By Addi Broadfoot For the FCT 
March 11, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — City officials say steps are being taken to improve safety at the playground in City Lake Park after parents raised concerns about dama...
Petition: Accountability sought from AHSAA
High School Sports, Main, Red Bay Tigers, ...
By Brady Petree and Bernie Delinski For the FCT 
March 11, 2026
RED BAY — A petition created by a Red Bay man calls for the Alabama High School Athletic Association to replay six state semifinal basketball games af...
State’s positive CWD cases nearly doubles
Franklin County, News
Kevin Taylor For the FCT 
March 11, 2026
The total number of positive cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD) found in white-tailed deer almost doubled in Alabama following the end of the 2025...
Pace crowned Miss RHS
News, Russellville
By María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimew.com 
March 11, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Lily Cate Pace was crowned the new Miss RHS during the 44th annual Miss RHS Pageant. Pace, a senior at Russellville High School who is ...
Scholars Bowl team competes at nationals
News, Phil Campbell
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
March 11, 2026
PHIL CAMPBELL — Snow and ice kept the Northwest Shoals Community College Scholars Bowl team from attending a January qualifying tournament, but it sti...
The gimmick that became a calling
News
Chelsea Rutherford For the FCT 
March 11, 2026
Rick Revel was just 15 when he stood backstage at the Grand Ole Opry and received career-shaping advice from country icon Roy Acuff — if you want to m...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *