Karl Leonard Sparre, 67, of Southborough, passed away at his home on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, surrounded by his family who loved him dearly. Born in Kinston, North Carolina, he was the devoted son of Madeline (Rich) and Robert Hicks Sparre. Karl was the loving husband of 28 years to Katherine (Kelley) Sparre of Southborough. Karl adored his wife. They shared a loving and devoted relationship and truly cherished each moment together.
Karl’s passion for life was infectious. He was an exceptional gardener who created a wonderful palette of colors and textures in his numerous gardens. He was a lifelong runner, enjoyed hiking and sporting events of all kinds, and took enormous pleasure in sharing these activities with dear friends. He loved watching his children compete in their respective sports and never missed an event; he was their biggest supporter. He was a die-hard fan of the New England Patriots and loved supporting the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. His happy place was always with his family, and he looked forward all year to his family vacation on the beaches in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, his place of bliss.
He graduated from Colgate University in 1977 and was an active, proud alumnus. Karl was an avid student of history and a voracious reader of military non-fiction. He was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution. Karl thoroughly enjoyed his forty-five-year career in Retail Buying and Human Resources/Talent Acquisition that spanned many industries, specialties, and states. He was a true leader and took immense pride in his work, his teams, and his relationships. It was those relationships that fueled him to do his best work every day and inspire others to do the same.
Besides his wife, Karl is survived by his children, who he adored, Christopher Vaillant and his wife Julie of Holliston, and Nina Sparre of Chicago, IL. His children felt his immense love and support every day. He also leaves behind his sister, Helena “Trina” Damico, and her partner Lee Gootee of Maryland and her late husband Paul Damico of Delaware, mother-in-law Mary Kelley of Hudson, and his two precious grandchildren, Brooke and Connor Vaillant of Holliston.
Visitation will be held on Monday, June 12th from 5:00-8:00 p.m. at the Chesmore Funeral Home, 57 Hayden Rowe St., Hopkinton, www.ChesmoreFuneralHome.com A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, June 13th at 10:00 a.m. at Saint Matthew’s Parish, 26 Highland Street in Southborough, MA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA dana-farber.org, or to Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA ahn.org. The family wishes to express their deepest gratitude for the outstanding care and support he received from the teams at both institutes throughout his journey.