Hershel & Bette Sparks Estate donates over $4 million to local nonprofits

WENATCHEE - The Estate of Hershel & Bette Sparks, a pioneering couple in the local fruit industry, has gifted over $4 million to three local nonprofit organizations. Confluence Health Foundation and Saddlerock Presbyterian Church each received $1.7 million, while Wenatchee Valley College (WVC) Foundation received $699,000.

Hershel Sparks, known as "the man with a plan," operated the first controlled-atmosphere warehouse in Wenatchee. His wife, Bette, managed ranch payroll and bookwork, expanding her business and industry knowledge through her husband's businesses. The couple, married in 1942, moved to Wenatchee in 1943.

Following Hershel's passing in 2009 and Bette's in 2011, their estate made initial gifts of $199,500 to the WVC Foundation and $498,750 to the Confluence Health Foundation. The recent $4 million distribution is the second from the Sparks Estate, with a third and final gift expected at a later date.

Suzanne Carté-Cocroft, Confluence Health Foundation vice president of philanthropy, expressed gratitude for the Sparks' generosity, stating, "We are profoundly grateful to the Sparks for their extraordinary generosity and their commitment to care for Wenatchee and North Central Washington. Their support not only serves as a testament to the Sparks' philanthropic spirit, but it ignites hope and fuels our resolve to create a healthier future for all."

Rachel Evey, WVC Foundation executive director, emphasized the impact of the gift on education, saying, "Hershel and Bette Sparks were dedicated supporters of education during their lifetime, and we are truly honored to be a part of their legacy. Their generous gift will impact generations of students attending Wenatchee Valley College."