months during the Berlin Crisis of 1961. Sparks was promoted to brigadier general in 1968 and assigned as the Colorado National Guard's assistant adjutant general for army and commander of the Colorado Army National Guard. Sparks served in the National Guard until reaching the mandatory retirement age in 1977. Sparks died in Lakewood, Colorado, on September 25, 2007. He was buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Early life Felix L. "Larry" Sparks was born in San Antonio, Texas, on August 2, 1917, the oldest of five children born to Felix Franklin Sparks and Martha Estelle (Ray) Sparks. When he was four, his family moved to Miami, Arizona, where his father worked in a copper mine. Sparks was raised and educated in Arizona, and in 1935, he took part in one of the Citizens' Military Training Camps (C.M.T.C.) operated by the United States Army, which offered young men the opportunity to obtain military training and possibly earn a commission in the National Guard or Army Reserve. In March 1936 he joined the United States Army. Assigned to a coast artillery regiment, he served in Hawaii for two years. After his March 1938 discharge, Sparks returned to Arizona, where he attended the University of Arizona. In 1939, he participated in another C.M.T.C., at which he won several awards and was recommended for a commission in the army. While attending college, Sparks also participated in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps. World War II Sparks served in the Reserve from 1939 to 1940, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant of Infantry in January 1940. He was called to active duty in February 1941 and assigned to the 45th Infantry Division. Sparks took part in the North African campaign, Italian campaign, Southern France campaign, and Central European campaign. He was promoted to first lieutenant in February 1942, captain in October 1942, major in August 1944, and lieutenant colonel in November 1944. During the war, Sparks's assignments included adjutant of 2nd Battalion, 157th Infantry Regiment and commander of the battalion's Company E. As a major and lieutenant colonel, he commanded the 45th Division's 3rd Battalion, 157th Infantry Regiment during 1944 and 1945. Post-World War II District attorney After the war, Sparks attended the University of Colorado Law School, graduating in 1948. After receiving his LL.B. degree, Sparks was admitted to the bar and began a practice in Delta, Colorado. Sparks was also