John A. Sparkman, Republic, Missouri

John Sparkman, Republic, Missouri, for many years, has been an active leader in the Missouri dairy industry. His position as Dairy Farm Specialist for Kraft Foods, Inc., covering a span of some 30 years, in Southwest Missouri, has enabled him to be a service to many facets of Missouri’s dairy industry.

John was born in 1925. After graduating from high school he attended the University of Missouri and received a degree in agricultural education in 1950, then a Master of Science degree in Dairy Science in 1951. In 1963 he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree at Drury College, Springfield.

He was the Greene County 4-H Dairy Project Chairman for 16 years and coached six winning 4-H teams in local, state and National contests. He has served on the Greene County 4-H Foundation many years and is now in his 27th year as Superintendent of the 4-H Dairy Division at the Ozark Empire Fair. John is on the Board of Directors of the Greene County Farm Bureau and the Ozark Empire Fair Advisory Board. He was President of the Missouri Milking Shorthorn Society when the Association of Missouri Dairy Organizations was formed in 1962 and was elected vice president. He has served in that capacity several times including the present, as well as AMDO Committees throughout the years. John served as Vice President and President of the Missouri Milking Shorthorn Society from 1956 to 1969. He was elected as Director of the American Milking Shorthorn Society in 1969 and served two terms. In 1973 he was elected Vice President and in 1974 President of the National Society.

John has been instrumental in upgrading the quality of manufacturing milk produced in Southwest Missouri. He did much to bring the Kraft Company into the Grade A market in 1978-79. Earlier (1960), he was awarded the J.L. Kraft Award for Achievement in Milk Procurement. He also helped organize the first manufacturing grade bulk tank program m Missouri.

John and his family reside on a farm, where he operates a Milking Shorthorn herd, at Republic, Missouri. He has won the Premier Breeder and Premier Exhibitor Award several times at the Ozark Empire Fair and at the Missouri State Fair.

In 1950 John married Dorothy Dickerson, Catlin, Illinois. The couple had four children. The eldest, Dr. Sally Potter is a practicing veterinarian at Buffalo, Missouri. John, the oldest son, is a geologist. The next son, Don, is a Staff Sgt. U.S. Army, and the youngest son, William, is a geologist with an oil drilling firm in the Gulf of Mexico. John and Dorothy have now joined the ranks as grandparents.

While John Sparkman has had a busy career, his friends will tell you he is progressive and always willing to help his fellow man.