Cleo Brotherton

Mrs. Cleo Sprinkle Brotherton, 97, of 197 Sprinkle Road, Statesville, died Thursday, Feb. 14, 2002, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Joan Forsyth (Lenual) after several years of declining health.

Mrs. Brotherton was born on Dec. 11, 1904, the daughter of the late Archie Preston and Lula Millsaps Sprinkle.

She was married to John Edward Brotherton, who preceded her in death on July 20, 1983, after 57 years of marriage. In addition to parents and husband, she was preceded in death by two infant daughters, Louise and Sue; grandsons, Barry Joe Williams and Joey Lynn Ball; great-grandson, Bryan Campbell; sisters, Margaret Hemrick and Nell Henderson, and twin sister, Cordia Loyd; and two brothers, Spencer and Herman Sprinkle.

She was a loved mother of John H. Brotherton (Dolores), Gay B. Stevenson (John), Geraldine B. Ball (Mansfield), Joan B. Forsyth (Lenual), all of Statesville, and Ruth B. Williams (G.W.) of Union Grove; 10 loving grandchildren, Laura Campbell (Jim), Audrey Ketchie (Steve), Gloria Byers (Danny), Teresa Pearson (Andrew), Debbie Coffee (Tim), Jerry Ball (Doris), Leonard Forsyth, Barbara Forsyth, all of Statesville, and Terry Ball (Carol) of Mooresville, Susan Brotherton of Oxford, Miss.; eight great-grandchildren, Donavan Campbell, Stephanie Campbell Wright (Rob), Tennille Kilby, Whitney Ball, Leigh Ann Coffey, Carrie Ruth Coffey, Heather Barnette and Allison Ketchie, all of Statesville; four great-great-grandchildren, Tyler Ketchie, Jayme, Dylan and Kaitlyn Barnette; sisters, Ann Millsaps, Elva S. Tilley and Zina S. Shaver; sister-in-law, Sara B. Sprinkle; and brothers, Lonnie Sprinkle and Hal R. Sprinkle (Eloise) of Greensboro.

She was a member of New Prospect Baptist Church, where she was a choir member, Sunday school teacher and Bible school teacher.

Services will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday at New Prospect Baptist Church. Officiating will be the Rev. Mark Robinette and the Rev. Robert Garrett. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Nephews will serve as pallbearers.

The family will assemble at the home of Gay and John Stevenson and will receive friends from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. today at the church.

Memorials may be made to New Prospect Baptist Church, c/o Ronald Millsaps, 351 Millsaps Road, Statesville, NC 28625 or to North Carolina Lions Foundation, P.O. Box 39, Sherrills Ford, NC 28673.

Reavis Funeral Home in Statesville is serving the family of Mrs. Brotherton.