He received a Juris Doctor from the University of Denver College of Law in 1966.

He was in private practice in Denver from 1966 to 1970, and working in the Office of General Counsel for Mountain States Telephone & Telegraph Co., in Denver, from 1970 to 1971.

He was a judge on the Second Judicial District Court of Colorado from 1977 to 1990.

[1] On January 24, 1990, Sparr was nominated by President George H. W. Bush to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Colorado vacated by Judge John Carbone Porfilio.

Sparr served in that capacity until his death, on November 9, 2006.