Irma Sprinkle

MARION, VIRGINIA: Mrs. Irma C. Sprinkle, 98, of Marion Virginia, died quietly at her home on Monday evening, June 9. She was born Irma Chappell on January 31, 1910 in Hastings, Florida, a daughter of Willie Weathers and William Zachias Chappell. She attended Northwestern University for one year but had to drop out and work for two years as the depression hit the country. She received a work-study scholarship at John B. Stetson University in Deland and graduated in 1934 with a major in Speech. Miss Chappell then moved to New York City where she worked first for Pan-American Airlines, and for a number of years as Executive Assistant to Dr. Ralph W. Sockman at Christ Church United Methodist. In 1948 she married Dr. Willis M. Sprinkle, longtime local doctor, and moved to Marion. Dr. Sprinkle died on January 1, 1960, just one month after he and Irma had moved into a new house by the hospital. Mrs. Sprinkle continued to make Marion her home. She was Assistant to the President at Marion College until the college closed its doors in 1967. She stayed on the job for one final year, as Acting President, to close the college. She then accepted a position as Assistant to the Dean at Emory & Henry College, where she worked from 1968-1973. Mrs. Sprinkle was one of the first women Elders at Royal Oak Presbyterian Church, a member of the Marion Book and Study Club from 1954, of which she was three times President, and a charter member of the Smyth County Community Hospital Board of Directors, serving from 1967-1997. In 2001 Mrs. Sprinkle established the Willis McCollum Sprinkle scholarship at Hampden-Sydney College for students in pre-medical studies with a 1.3 million dollar donation, the largest single gift ever made to the college. The idea behind this scholarship is to support the training of doctors, especially those who intend to practice in southwestern Virginia. She is survived by ten nephews and nieces, Judson R. Schleifer of Chilhowie, Jeffrey B. Schleifer of Harrisonburg, Joel K. Schleifer of Marion, Margaret S. Yearsley of Plymouth Meeting PA, Dr. John A. Carter of Winston Salem NC, Shirley S. Blood of Lexington KY, Mary R. Connolly of Pittsfield ME, Dr. Robert T. Allen of Staunton, Martha A. Senger of Pullman WA, and John P. Rafferty of New York NY; by three step-grandchildren, Col. Christopher M. Maher (ret. U.S. Army) of Herndon VA, Katherine L. Maher of Wellesley Hills MA, and Robert P. Maher (ret. U.S. Army) of Laurel MD; and by numerous grand-nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by a sister, Elizabeth Chappell Schleifer of Sugar Grove. Dr. Samir N. Saliba, Dean Emeritus at Emory & Henry College, said: "I have known Ms. Sprinkle since 1972, both as a colleague and a friend. She was especially helpful to me during my transition to the Office of Dean of the College at Emory & Henry in 1972. I admired her graciousness, her intellect, her steadiness, her thoughtfulness, as well as her beautiful handwriting." A memorial service for Mrs. Sprinkle will be held on Friday, July 25, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. at Royal Oak Presbyterian Church in Marion. Memorial contributions may be made to the Women's Scholarship Fund at the Church. Expressions of sympathy may be made to the family at www.seaverbrown.com. Seaver-Brown Funeral Service and Crematory is serving the Sprinkle Family.