Thomas Sproule

Thomas Sproule The Reverend Doctor Thomas Sproule passed away as the sun rose on the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010. A memorial service of worship and celebration of his life was held Friday, Oct. 8, at 2 p.m. at the Wytheville Presbyterian Church, following a private family interment. He was born March 25, 1920, in Rosemont, Pa., son of the late William and Margaret Morrow Sproule. He spent his early years in suburban Philadelphia with brothers, Joe and Bill, sister Peggy and a large Scotts- Irish family, with summers spent enjoying adventures on Mount Desert Island, Maine, with the Reeves family. Following high school graduation, Tom, always an athlete, entered West Chester State College as a physical education major. On Saturday, Dec. 6, 1941, the day before Pearl Harbor was attacked, he was playing basketball in Madison Square Garden. A week later he was on naval coastal patrol. He served from 1941-46 in both the U.S. Navy and Air Force and attained the rank of captain, serving as a bombardier with the 40th Bomb Group on Tinian in the South Pacific. Following his military service, he returned to West Chester State College where he was elected class president, graduating in 1948. He continued his education earning a master's degree in psychology from Temple University and pursued theological studies at Union Theological in Richmond, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and Trinity Theological Seminary from which he earned his doctorate. He was ordained and began his first pastorate at the First Presbyterian Church of Asheville, N.C., where he met his partner in life and ministry, the lovely Ruth Jean Morris. The young family accompanied Tom as he continued his education at the University of Edinburgh Scotland. In 1962, he accepted a call to the Wytheville Presbyterian Church where he served as minister until his retirement in 1990. He was bestowed the title of Minister Emeritus and remained an active member of the church, the Abingdon Presbytery, Senate and General Assembly. Many knew him through his ministry to young people as an athletic official serving for 30 years as both a high school and college football and basketball official, as an adjunct faculty at Wytheville Community College, as commander of the Civil Air Patrol Cadet Squadron and as a hurdler coach for several generations of George Wythe High School athletes. The Associated Press and International News Service recognized him for his unique position of serving as a clergyman and athletic official. His ministry to the community continued through participation in numerous civic organizations and boards, including chairman of the Board of Directors of Wythe County Community Hospital, president of the United Way of Wythe County, president of the Wytheville-Wythe-Bland Chamber of Commerce, chairman of the Salvation Army, chairman of the local chapter of the American Red Cross, chairman of the Wythe County Public Library, chairman of Maroons Inc. and president of the Wytheville Rotary Club where he was recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow. He received recognition for his service to Wytheville and Wythe County, receiving the Wytheville Jaycees' Distinguished Service Award and Minister of the Year, the chamber of commerce's Outstanding Citizen Award, the Civic Wall of Honor and the Sports Hall of Fame. To honor a lifetime of service, contributions and service to Wytheville and Wythe County and in honor of his 90th birthday, the town of Wytheville proclaimed Thursday, March 25, 2010, as the Reverend Doctor Thomas Sproule Day in the Town of Wytheville. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Betty Jean Morris; a son, Thomas Sproule and wife, Margaret; a daughter, Ellen Taylor, and husband, Frank; four grandchildren, Bill Taylor and wife, Ann Katherine, Julianna Taylor, Thor Sproule and Mason Sproule; a niece, Chris, and her husband, Randy Sjaaradema; a nephew, Steven Sproule; and a brother-in-law, Henry Morris, and his wife, Janice. Memorial donations may be made to the Wytheville Presbyterian Church or the Children's Home of the Highlands. Grubb Funeral Home in Wytheville was in charge of the arrangements.