Thomas Sparling, Leader in Northwest Engineering Industry dies

He worked on firsts of many kinds - floating bridges, medical equipment and communications systems.

Thomas Sparling, founder of Seattle-headquartered Sparling, the nation's largest electrical engineering and technology consulting firm died in December. He was 87.

Sparling was born in Stanley, WI, in 1917 and graduated from Montanta State University with a degree in electrical engineering in 1939. He worked at the Bremerton Naval Shipyard prior to starting his firm.

Sparling founded the firm in 1947 with partner Jeff Pavey. He soon became known for his ability to design complex electrical circuits that powered such innovative projects as the Hood Canal Bridge and the control systems for the safety gates along the reversible I-5 express lanes in Seattle.

Today the circuits are computerized, but when they were originally designed, engineers had to take into account the huge amount of electricity needed to move the heavy bridge deck. At the same time the process had to be fail-safe. The gates that closed the express lanes when traffic changed direction were designed to work with the same exactitude. Designing systems requiring that level of precision was Sparling's trademark.

"Tom liked to do anything that was challenging or one of a kind," said Sparling CEO Jim Duncan. "Whenever there was a project that required something difficult or new, people called him."

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Another first of a kind project Sparling designed was the US Coast Guard Communication Station in Kodiak, which served as a template for systems around the country. The station receives distress calls from the North Pacific. "Originally the calls came in on one system, and then the dispatcher had to go across the room to contact the rescue team," said Duncan. "Tom designed an integrated system that would allow both communications to happen from the same place." Sparling also worked on the electrical system for the world's first proton accelerator located at Loma Linda University Medical Center in California.

Sparling made significant contributions to the engineering profession in other ways, as well. He was the editor and chairman of the Gray Book, a manual that describes the recommended practices for electrical power systems in commercial buildings. He also worked for over 15 years to improve the National Electrical Code by making simple changes that decreased load calculations. His changes allowed owners to save millions of dollars in construction and operating costs over the years, Duncan said.

His professional accomplishments aside, Sparling are also remembered for his warm caring personality.

"If I ever had a problem that needed solving his door was always open," said Herb Bullen, a Sparling engineer for 36 years. Bullen recalls that when he started with the firm in 1958, Sparling loaned him money to go back to the East Coast for his father's funeral. "I had recently gotten married and had a baby on the way. Mr. Sparling knew money was tight," Bullen said.

Sparling is survived by his wife Dorothy, sons, Jim, Don, Bob and daughter, Susan Riggs, 13 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. Memorials may be sent to the Thomas Sparling Memorial Scholarship Fund at Montana State University, MSU Foundation, P.O. Box 2750 Bozeman, MT 59717. Sparling is starting its own memorial also, a $2,000 annual prize to the student who submits the best paper on electrical engineering.