On the Eve of a New Beginning

Four dedicated branch presidents held the Sparks Branch together. Within the 1910-1941 time frame several other branches were organized and flourished. Records for each branch unit of the district were closed [in most cases, disregarded, never to be seen again] in preparation for an event heralding the status of ward units within a stake. One particular entry of note was written by Sinclair Gillies, a faithful clerk in the Sparks Branch, who noted the occasion with the following:

"OFFICERS OF THE SPARKS BRANCH ON THE EVE OF BECOMING PART OF THE RENO STAKE AND SPARKS WARD"

2/9/1941

"I now close the books on the Sparks Branch because on February 9, 1941 (next week) we will be organized into a stake.  The following are officers of the Sparks Branch as it stands today."

Branch President, W. Kenneth Holbrook

1^st counselor, J. Weldon Moore

2^nd counselor, Irving Schelin

Branch clerk, Sinclair D. Gillies

SUNDAY SCHOOL

Superintendent, Noble B. Evans

1st assistant, Melvin A. Brown Sr.

2^nd assistant, Tracy F. Hauder

Secretary, Blaine Bradburn

RELIEF SOCIETY

President, Beatrice Call

1^st counselor, Hortense Shupe

2^nd counselor, Merlyn Lampman

Secretary, Helen Piggott

Y.M.M.I.A.

President, Harold Call

1^st counselor, Glenn Judd

2^nd counselor, Morris Young

Secretary, Bruce Belnap

Y.L.M.M.I.A.

President, Louise Lindsay

1^st counselor, Mildred Brewster

2^nd counselor, Ada Sneddon

Secretary, Ruth Beardall

PRIMARY

President, Edith Blackburn

1^st counselor, Effie Rock

2^nd counselor, Mary Moore

Secretary, Lila Christensen

PRIESTHOOD SUPERVISORS                   Lester Brown

Oliver Hansen                                                 James Cooke

Stanley Lindsay                                              Jesse Sneddon

Good bye, [In big script]

Sinclair D. Gillies

Clerk

With a flourish of his pen, Clair, as he was most commonly known, literally wrote the above entry on the last page of the record and closed the book.