Sparkie Way, 71, of Post Falls, died from a heart attack on Saturday, July 27, 2013, while on vacation in Havana, Cuba. She was born on June 12, 1942, in Huntington, W.Va., to Louise and Marshall Herring.

After graduating from high school, she moved to California where she met Ken Way on a blind date on Memorial Day 1963. They were married on Sept. 21, 1963, and were just about to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. In honor of Ken and Sparkie’s 50th anniversary, they took their family to Playa del Carmen, Mexico, to celebrate and also made a trip to Ireland and Cuba. Another trip to Russia was planned to take place in October of this year.

The Way family moved to Spirit Lake after a trip across the United States during the summer of 1976 when they fell in love with North Idaho and decided to move here. Ken and Sparkie built and operated Spirit Lake Cable TV and Spirit Lake Laundromat and attended Spirit Lake Baptist Church until they sold both businesses and moved to Post Falls in 1994. In 2001, Virginia went to work at the new Walmart where all of Kootenai County came to know, recognize and love her.

Her children and grandchildren were her greatest joy in life and she poured her heart into being a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She had a special relationship with each and every person in her family. Sparkie’s work ethic and relationships embodied Colossians 3:17, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” They were past members of Candlelight Christian Ministry in Coeur d’Alene and recent members of North Country Chapel in Post Falls.

Sparkie is survived by her husband, Ken at home; son and daughter-in-law, Grant and Valerie; daughter-in-law Louise; grandchildren, Christine, Brittany and husband Ty, Gavin, Hunter and Hannah; great-grandchildren, Caleb, Sunny and baby-on-the-way to be born in January 2014; brother and sister-in-law, Marshall Lee and Anne Herring; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Jim and Charlotte Way, Ron and Dana Way, Jan Apostello, Denny and Carol Way, Rick and Chris Way, Tim and DeAnna Way; numerous nephews and nieces; and many dear, close friends. She was preceded in death by her son, Scott; parents, Louise and Marshall Herring; and parents-in-law, Marion and Marjorie Way.

A celebration of Sparkie’s life will be held during memorial services at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2013, at North Country Chapel in Post Falls.