Mary (Sluder) Sprinkle

Mary peacefully left her life of 96 years on earth to be with her Lord and Savior on December 7th, 2022, after a brief illness.  She was born and grew up on a family farm in Alexander, NC.  She graduated from French Broad High School and worked for a local telephone company.  Later, she worked for American Enka, a large textile company in Enka/Candler, NC.  Enka had company bus routes to transport many of the workers to and from work.  In late 1945, she met the love of her life, Robert “Bob” Sprinkle on the company bus.  They were married on February 1st, 1946 and were inseparable.  In 1948 they moved to Morristown, TN to work in a new plant Enka built in nearby Lowland, TN.  Two years later they bought a small house on five-acres in the “country” where she became a stay-at-home mom while they raised two sons.  In 1968 she went to work for Morristown Federal Savings and Loan, rising to the position of Vice President of Savings over her twenty-year career.  Mary was a member of her beloved Noe’s Chapel Methodist Church for seven decades.  She was active in all facets of church activities including the Choir and the Methodist Women’s group.  We must mention that this is where she met her new “sister” and lifelong best friend, Mary G Noe, who preceded her in death in 2012.  She enjoyed playing the piano, singing, cooking, sewing, knitting, gardening, taking long walks and playing cards with friends.  She was a loving wife, mother, friend, and mentor.  Most of all she enjoyed spending time with family.  She will be sorely missed by those she left behind.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Sprinkle; son, Alan Sprinkle; brothers, Arnold Sluder, Charlie Sluder and Gay Sluder; her parents, Ethel Parham Sluder and Dewey Sluder; grandson, Dusty Sprinkle.

She is survived by her son, Dean Sprinkle (JoAnn); grandchildren, Matthew Sprinkle, Leslie Colagrosso, Zachary Sprinkle, Misty Hayes, and Annie Sprinkle; great-grandchildren, Dakota Bales, Jonathan Colagrosso, Gianna Colagrosso, Jezebel Field, Rosco Sprinkle, Daegan Stiefvater, and Shaine Stiefvater, and numerous nephews and nieces.

A graveside service will be held at Ashelawn Gardens of Memory in Asheville, North Carolina on a date to be determined.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorials be sent to Noe’s Chapel United Methodist Church, ATTN: Ruth Slover, 2793 Conrad Dr., Morristown TN.

Courtesy of Stetzer-Bales Funeral Home.

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