Obituary of Rev. Paul D. Sprouse

Rev. Paul D. Sprouse, age 85, of Upper Deerfield Township, Pastor of the Centerton Free Will Baptist Church died at his home on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011, surrounded by his loving family. The husband of Farria Clark Sprouse, he was born in Hartford, Tenn., and was the son of the late Neal Sprouse and Ladie Jenkins Sprouse. He had been a resident of Upper Deerfield Township for 63 years. Rev. Sprouse served in the United States Army for 2 years, stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky. On June 6, 1964 he was ordained by the Great Lakes Association of Original Free Will Baptists of Ohio, to preach the Gospel. He was one of the founders of the Centerton Free Will Baptist Church in Pittsgrove in 1965 and was the oldest living member of the church. He started his working career at Seabrook Farms as an Operating Engineer, with a blue seal license, where he had been employed for 7 years. After that he worked at the former Owens-Illinois Glass Co. in Bridgeton, for over 29 years. He retired from the Newcomb Medical Center in 1989. As a hobby he operated a small nursery at his home in Upper Deerfield Township. In addition to his wife, survivors include: two sons, Daniel Sprouse and his wife Vera and Ronald Sprouse and his wife Debra; two daughters, Shirley Morgan and her husband David and Paula Walker and her husband Timothy; six grandchildren, Lee Sprouse, Gene Sprouse, Bridget Sprouse, Ronald Sprouse, II, Kristin Gaddy and Kristina Borneby; seven great grandchildren, Abigail, Averi, Dallas, Warren and Craig Sprouse, James Gaddy and Enrico Hatz and many nieces and nephews. He is also survived by one sister, Nellie Ball and four brothers, George, Elmer, Frank and Walter Sprouse, all of Tennessee. He was preceded in death by one sister, Martha Caughron and five brothers, Clyde, Glenn, Gene, Robert and Henry Sprouse. Funeral services will be held at the PADGETT FUNERAL HOME, 1107 State Highway 77, Upper Deerfield Township, on Thursday morning, Oct. 27th at 11:00 O'clock. Burial will be at Centerton Free Will Baptist Cemetery, Pittsgrove Township. A visitation will be held at the funeral home on Wednesday evening between 6:00 and 8:00 O'clock. Written condolences may be sent to the family through the funeral home website at www.padgettfuneralhomes.com