Teloa Sparks Swinnea

Teloa Sparks Swinnea was called home to her Lord and Savior on Thursday, December 19, 2024 at her residence near Fort Davis, Texas. She was the eldest of six children, born July 7, 1949 in Uvalde, Texas, to John Travis Sparks and Betty Smith Sparks. Teloa met Larry Warner Swinnea in southern Brewster County on the Aqua Fria Ranch in 1966. The couple married at Baptist Temple in Uvalde on May 28, 1967.

Her college years began at Pan American College, Edinburg, and continued at the University of Texas, El Paso, and Sul Ross State University, Alpine. A career educator, her first assignment was in Marfa, followed by years in Fort Davis, McCamey, and Presidio schools. In Presidio, she left the classroom to become a high school principal and subsequently a central office administrator. Teloa served as an educational consultant at Region 18 Education Service Center in Midland and was promoted to the position of Director of Administrative Services there. She returned to Marfa ISD as high school principal and retired as its superintendent of schools in 2012, in the district where she began her education career.

A focus of Teloa’s life was her Christian faith. She was an active member of First Baptist Church, Fort Davis, serving as an organist, a member of the personnel, music, and missions committees, the WMU, and the Ladies Bible Study leadership team.

Teloa was preceded in death by her parents and her youngest brother, Jay Sparks. She is survived by her husband Larry Swinnea, their two sons and wives, Matthew and Kristi Swinnea of McKinney, Luke and Chris Swinnea of Tyler; grandchildren Easton Swinnea, Emily Swinnea Britt (Collin), and Ellie Swinnea; one great-grandchild and namesake, Teloa Elaine Britt; her sisters Terri Tucker of Uvalde and Trava Baker of Alpine; her brothers John C. Sparks of San Angelo and Travis Sparks of Gilmer; many cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and friends.

Services will be held at First Baptist Church, Fort Davis, on Friday, January 3, 2024. Family visitation will be at 10:00am, followed by a celebration of life at 11:00am. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to First Baptist Church, PO Box 809, Fort Davis, Texas 79734.

 Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at Mobile Mortician of Texas’ web site: www.mmoftexas.com