GALESBURG - Patricia Marie Sprinkle (Bower) passed away at 9:07 p.m. July 13, 2008, in her home, surrounded, at the time, and for the weeks prior by all of her loved ones, family and friends.
Patricia M. Bower was born in Monmouth, Illinois, on Feb. 22, 1939, to Gerald Amos Bower and Lady Marie (Vaughan) Bower.
She attended school in Roseville, Ill., and also Brown's Business College. She also attended various classes throughout her life pertaining to her career in mental health. Later in her life she also enrolled in classes at Carl Sandburg College to learn sign language.
She married David Z. Vance and later Bill McDorman. Then she found her true partner for life and married Gerald Leroy Sprinkle on July 30, 1960, who was by her side at the end of her days as he had been for 47 and most of 48 years.
Pat worked hard her whole life beginning at an early age in her teens teaching music privately, mostly accordion, as a state certified arts and crafts worker, a car hop then as a Form Fit factory girl.
She then began her career in mental health in 1961 at Research Mental Health where she worked for 25 years until they closed. She then worked for Bridgeway for 10 years until she retired in 2005.
She always had a special way of caring for people with special needs and made a difference in the lives she touched.
Pat spent her life crafting for her loved ones and also made items for many craft and art shows over the years. She made many works of art and keepsakes including quilting, crocheting, knitting, needlepoint and beading of all kinds.
She enjoyed reading, working at her computer, puzzle books and games and editing photos for scrapbooks she was lovingly creating for her entire family.
The last year of her life was spent courageously battling cancer to which she fought valiantly every day! Despite almost unendurable odds along the way!
She fought the way she lived with strength, faith, love and laughter!
She is preceded in death by her father and one daughter, Mary Ann McDorman.
She is survived by her husband, Gerald L. Sprinkle; her mother, L. Marie Bower; her brothers, Alvin V. (and Jeannie) Bower and Larry G. (and Carol) Bower; two sons, Michael D. (and Sheryn) Sprinkle and Darryl L. (and Dolores) Sprinkle; seven grandchildren, Mandy Seideman, Adam Sprinkle, Matthew, Savanna and Ariel Sprinkle and Garrett and Nicolas Sprinkle; two great-grandchildren, Laci and Taylor; and many loving in-laws, nieces and nephews and many friends.
She will be missed for her kindness, loving heart and especially her laughter and as a loving wife, mother, daughter, sister, grandma and friend.
Funeral service will be 10 a.m. Friday, July 18, at Hinchliff-Pearson-West Galesburg Chapel. Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, July 17, at the Chapel. Burial will be in Ellison Cemetery, Smithshire, Ill.
Published in The Register-Mail on 7/16/2008