Lena Vira Mann

Lena Vira Mann, 91, of Noblesville, Indiana, formerly a long time resident and business owner from Bloomfield, passed away Wednesday, May 18, 2011 at Horizon Bay assisted living center in Arlington, Texas. Lena was born in Richland Township November 19, 1919, the daughter of James Emery Sparks, Sr., and Bessie H. Pearson Sparks. Lena was a mother, homemaker and successful business owner. She grew up in the Sparks family businesses that operated on the Bloomfield square from 1922 through 1972. Throughout her adult life, Lena worked and thrived in the world of fashion. She lived and worked in Chicago for eight years selling and buying women’s fashions. She was the epitome of a professional sales woman and was often approached by competitors to represent and sell their clothing lines. Lena owned and operated two retail dress shops—The Smart Shop and Lena’s Fashion Shop—on West Main Street for several years. She enjoyed putting together fashion shows, decorating her store front windows and buying at market to meet her individual customers’ needs. Lena’s happiest memories were times spent with her family and friends who she dearly loved and was very generous towards. Lena was preceded in death by her parents, brother Jackie Sparks; sisters Betty Ingalls, Dorothy Fiscus, Ava Ockerman and Nina Eller-Foster; son James Larry Carpenter; and husbands George Carpenter, Herbert Kramer and Vernon Mann. Surviving family members include daughter, Connie Carpenter Morgan of Arlington, Texas; daughters Jamie Jo Staten and Connie Neyome of Bloomfield; four grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; sister Freida Uland and brother James Emery Sparks, Jr. Visitation will be held Sunday May22, 2011 at Jenkins Funeral Home in Bloomfield from 6:00pm to 8:00pm and Monday May 23rd from 9:00am to 10:00am. A celebration of life will be at 10:00am Monday May 23rd at Jenkins Funeral Home with the Rev. Arlen Pope officiating. Burial will follow at Grandview Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Lena’s name to the building fund at Antioch Christian Church in Bloomfield.

Lena Vira Mann

November 19, 1919 - May 18, 2011