Sparky was born and raised in Granite City, Ill. She married Max W. Boyd of Granite City, Ill., on March 23, 1946. She spent the next 20 years raising a family travelling the world as the wife of a military serviceman, retiring in July of 1963 and settling in Collinsville, Ill. She was a woman that wore many hats - a loving mother and matriarch of a close family, an officer's wife, and a role model for her children and grandchildren. Family came first and foremost in all aspects of her life. She was an avid crossword player and became quite the Yahtzee shark. She was loved by all who were blessed to know her, and will be dearly missed by all those she has left behind.

She was preceded by her loving husband, Max: father, Horace Foster; and mother, Alma, nee Allison, Foster.

She is survived by four children, David (Carol) Boyd of Stafford, Va., Timothy (Jan) Boyd of Granite City, Ill., Tomma (Jim) Bone of Bloomington, Ill., and Shelly (Bill) Ellis of Maryville, Ill.; 10 grandchildren, David Boyd, Jennifer Campbell, Trevor Boyd, Ty Boyd, Tiffany Boyd, Dennetta Podner, Justin Ellis, Lindsey Bone, Clayton Bone and Mackenzie Ellis; and five great-grand children, Chloe Boyd, Claudia Boyd, Max Campbell, Cassandra Boyd and Abigail Podnar; two sisters, Carole Vesci of Billings, Mo., and Frances Fay Hogan of Springfield, Mo.

Memorials may be made at the funeral home to Shriner's Hospital for Children or the USO.

Visitation: Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, March 15, 2013, and from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, March 16, 2013, at the Herr Funeral Home in Collinsville, Ill.

Funeral: Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday March 16, 2013, at the funeral home with the Rev. Sigurd Bjorkland officiating. Interment will be with her beloved husband, Max W. Boyd at Sunset Hill Memorial Estates in Glen Carbon, Ill.