Joan Sparkman, a pioneering civic leader whose contributions shaped the educational, business, and healthcare landscape of Temecula and southwest Riverside County, died Tuesday, Dec. 17, of natural causes. She was 90.Sparkman’s influence in the region spanned more than five decades. A Temecula/Murrieta resident since 1969, she was instrumental in the community’s growth and development, serving on the Temecula Valley Unified School District board for 22 years, where she advocated for funding and land to build as many as 25 new schools. Her efforts extended to higher education, with 14 years of service on the Mt. San Jacinto College board.Her civic involvement began shortly after moving to Temecula with her husband, Will, and their two children. Will Sparkman passed in 2010. He w
