Saturday, December 2, 2023
Donna Sproul’s tribute
Dear Little Heath, Christine Marilyn, and all your families:
I have so many precious memories with you guys. Donna was my majorette teacher, my neighbor, and my summer vacation Bible school teacher. When we were doing majorettes, she made every one of us our uniforms for the Saint John Santa Claus parade—sewed every one of them by hand. I think there was at least a dozen of us little ones! This was along with her weekly diligent teaching (and no assistant, that I can remember).
Christine, I can remember your mom creating this play kitchen, all out of cardboard boxes and wallpaper, which she had scalloped into ruffles around the cupboard edge. I was mesmerized. I remember at one of your birthday parties, there was at least seven or eight of us girls, and your mom gave each of us a Barbie doll with dresses that she had made for each doll!
Each summer in vacation Bible school, I would hope to be in her group because you knew that you were going to come out with the best crafts. I remember her helping me with a laminate floral bookmark. I can see her kind of clenching her lower jaw as she very carefully rearranged my mess to make a bookmark that I cherished for years! When she saw my joy, she was so happy, just pulled her head back with the most content and quiet smile, and let me take the glory for this wonderful work .
I remember when the first new baby was born, because Donna was still living in Belmont. It was Marilyn. She had her at the beach in a little frilly bonnet. It was likely a bonnet that she had made for her, as I had never seen anything like it. Marilyn was the most gorgeous baby I’ve ever seen with these giant, blueberry eyes. From that day forward, I always dreamed of having a little girl of my own to dress up like that.
Awhh …I am so thankful to have had all of you guys in my life and I am so sorry for your loss. “For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, … And so we will be with them and the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (I Thessalonians 4: 14-18)
Holding you all close in my heart and in my prayers.
