Lauren Sparks Adams

Lauren Sparks Adams passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on the evening of January 19, 2021, following a brief but bravely fought battle with cancer. She is survived by her husband, Forrest; children, Storm, Taylor, and Rose (Beau); granddaughter, Allie Belle; sisters, Shawn (Chris) and Ashley (Keith); step-brother Bucky (Dawn); father and step-mother, Larry and Peggy; mother, Patricia; her beloved Yorkie, Sampson; and a host of close friends and extended family members who loved her dearly. Lauren grew up on the shores of Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, Ark. As the oldest of three girls, she was the natural leader, regularly babysitting for Ashley and even more regularly rescuing Shawn from teenage shenanigans. She always found new ways to have a book in her hand, and somehow mastered the art of mowing the lawn while reading. In addition to being a stellar student, Lauren was a majorette in the Russellville High School marching band and had the honor of twirling her baton in the inauguration parade of President Jimmy Carter. At Hendrix College, Lauren majored in art history and excelled in printmaking and fashion design. However, as she often shared, her greatest accomplishment at Hendrix was meeting her future husband and the love of her life one fateful day in Galloway Hall. Though Lauren prided herself on asking Forrest out on their first date, she took even more joy in living each day with her soulmate. They were happily married for 37 years. Together, Lauren and Forrest would go on to travel the globe — from Cinque Terre to Costa Rica, Maui to Mykonos. No matter where she went, Lauren was most at home lounging and telling stories by a body of water — a lake, a beach, a pool. Lauren was never intimidated by a challenge. As if raising three children (a son and twins) was not enough hard work, Lauren found time to go to law school. She earned a Juris Doctorate from the University of Arkansas in 1998, which pleased the Razorback fan in her. Red was her color of choice for most things: shoes, purses, cars, and especially wine. In her legal career, she worked to protect the elderly and disabled, including taking care of Samantha Buckner and Adam Jack as their guardian. She volunteered her time and talents to the Sunshine School and Development Center in Rogers as well as Arkansas Support Network. In 2003 she was named Pro Bono Attorney of the Year by Arkansas Volunteer Lawyers for the Elderly, and Legal Aid of Arkansas recognized her with an Outstanding Pro Bono Attorney Award for 2008-2009. Her caring nature did not just extend to people. Lauren's heart and home were always open to shelter dogs in need of love and care. At one point, in addition to the family's four dogs, she took in a Dachshund mother and her seven puppies. Through the years she fostered countless dogs, and her persuasive skills quickly found them new homes, many times within the family. But the people who benefited most from her loving spirit were her three children. To each of them, Lauren passed on gifts that will continue to animate their daily lives. Her oldest son, Storm, inherited her legal prowess and fierce sense of justice; Taylor, her love of words and talent for storytelling; and Rose, her unparalleled instincts to nurture and provide. For her children, her example taught them that it was okay, if not ideal, to live a life full of contradictions: Lauren was both strong-willed and tender, principled yet open-hearted. But the greatest gift she gave them was the obvious to see, but impossible to describe, love of a mother who truly believed that her children were the best part of her. Following the birth of her granddaughter, Allie Belle, she often said, "this baby completes me." Lauren cherished her role as a grandmother and, though she and little Allie only had a short time together, she poured the love of a lifetime into those months. Graveside services will take place on Monday, January 25, 2021 at 1 p.m. at Bluff Cemetery, 900 N. Shiloh St., Springdale, Ark. A socially-distanced visitation will take place on Sunday, January 24, 2021 from 2-4 p.m. at Sisco Funeral Chapel in Springdale. Lauren's family would be honored to have memorial donations made to causes she supported passionately: For Pet's Sake (for-pets-sake.org) and Arkansas Support Network (supports.org). Online condolences may be left at www.siscofuneral.com.