Sparkman / Hillcrest Morticians, city contract ambulances, Dallas, Texas, 1972

Sparkman / Hillcrest Morticians of Dallas, Texas operated a fleet of white Chevrolet suburban ambulances -- some were raised roof high tops and others were low bodies. Photograph from the James F. Moshinskie Historic Photograph Collection

 

All were packed with multiple red lights and both Federal Q2 and dual Federal electronic sirens. Clear beaconrays with red and white lights were on the front corners of the roofs, and in the center of each ambulance roof. The raised roof included red "Twin Sonics" light bars, and the low tops had flashing red lollipops on either side of the Federal Q2.

 

This photo was taken in 1972 by Jim Moshinskie, then a student at the Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science, in the rear of the downtown location of Sparkman / Hillcrest Morticians on Ross Avenue (now closed).

 

Sparkmans handled the city contract for emergency ambulances in North Dallas, and Dudley M. Hughes answered the calls in South Dallas.

 

This long-serving funeral home dates back to 1893 when it was started by George W. Laudermilk and progressed as Laudermilk-Sparkman (1920), Sparkman-Holtz-Brand (1933), Sparkman-Brand (1947), Sparkman's (1960s), and finally Sparkman/Hillcrest (1967).

 

Click here to view hundreds of historical photographs of undertakers, funeral homes, professonal vehicles, and early ambulances collected since 1967 by Jim Moshinskie (Dr. Mo), PhD, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, USA. This also includes Special Interest Groups for several individual states. Photo by Jim Moshinskie, 1971

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Jim Moshinskie, PhD, "Dr. Mo," president, OakCrest Funeral Home, Waco, Texas

Also See: Dr. Mo's Ambulance Collection

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