Former Humboldt Supervisor Anna Sparks dies, remembered for water and timber

Anna Sparks, who served as Humboldt County Fifth District Supervisor from 1982 to 1994, died on Jan. 12, the county announced. Sparks was a fixture in local government for more than a decade and was widely recognized for her advocacy on water policy, support for the timber economy and work on behalf of rural communities.

The Board of Supervisors planned to adjourn in her honor and fly the U.S. flag at half-staff from Jan. 13 to 16, a formal acknowledgement of her civic contribution. Colleagues and county officials praised Sparks’ long service to the region and noted local recognitions, including the naming of Anna Sparks Way in McKinleyville. The county encouraged the public to extend condolences to Sparks’ family and friends.

Sparks’ tenure spanned a formative period for Humboldt County, when water management and timber policy were central to local livelihoods and land-use debates. Her work on those issues resonates today as communities continue to navigate changing economic conditions, forest stewardship and watershed resilience. For residents in the Fifth District and beyond, Sparks was a familiar presence in county chambers and at community meetings where the intersection of logging, rural roads and water supply often came to the fore.

Her record reflects both the practical concerns of small towns and the larger structural shifts that have reshaped rural Northern California. As the timber economy adjusted through the late 20th century, local leaders like Sparks served as intermediaries between forest industries, environmental interests and hamlets that depended on logging-related jobs and services. Her focus on water policy tied into broader efforts to safeguard local wells, creeks and infrastructure that sustain households, farms and small businesses across the county.

Practical outcomes of Sparks’ career include the visible place name in McKinleyville and the institutional memory of years of policy debates that still inform present decisions. For community members, her passing is a moment to reflect on the civic networks that support rural life in Humboldt County and the ways elected leaders shape everyday services from roads to watershed planning.

In the days ahead, county proceedings and community gatherings will mark Sparks’ contributions. Her death underscores the continuity between past policy choices and current challenges, and it invites residents to consider how local leadership can guide Humboldt through evolving economic and environmental pressures.