Donald D. Spradling, 71, Greenville
Donald D. Spradling, 71, of Greenville, died at 10:15 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2009, at Hope Hospice House in Ft. Myers, Fla.
Services were held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 19, at Donnell-Wiegand Funeral Home in Greenville, with Darryl Bolen officiating. Burial was in Mulberry Grove Cemetery, with military rites accorded by American Legion Post No. 1180 of Mulberry Grove. Visitation was held from 5-8 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 18, with Masonic services at 7:30 p.m. Memorials: MDS or Leukemia Foundation.
Mr. Spradling was born on Sept. 28, 1937, in Mulberry Grove, the son of Donald Franklin and Marjorie Lorene Thacker Spradling Ray. He married Louise Campbell; they were divorced. He later married Carolyn Barth; they later were divorced.
He grew up in Mulberry Grove and graduated from Mulberry Grove High School in 1955. Early in life, he worked at the Mulberry Meat Locker, where he learned to be a meat cutter. He joined the Army on Sept. 5, 1956, and served for two years, being honorably discharged on Sept. 4, 1958, at Ft. Jackson, S.C. He owned and operated a meat locker in Ramsey for several years. He then joined the Meat Cutters Laborers’ Local No. 88 and began working with Kroger Co., raising to the position of head meat cutter and rotating around Edwardsville, Alton and St. Louis. He also worked for a time for Schnucks and National foods. He retired in 2001 and enjoyed wintering in Ft. Myers Beach, Fla., for the past eight winters. He was a member of American Legion Post No. 1180 of Mulberry Grove; Gilham Masonic Lodge No. 809 A.F. & A.M., and took his 32 Degree at the Masonic Temple of East St. Louis; Shrine Club at the Ainad Temple of East St. Louis; Meat Cutters Laborers’ Local No. 88; and Moose Lodge in Ft. Myers, Fla.
He is survived by his mother, of Mulberry Grove; son, Don Douglas Spradling of Mulberry Grove; grandson, Todd Spradling of Mulberry Grove; stepgrandson, Jacob Scott Talley; sister, Judi and her husband Drew Duncan of Sorento; half brother, Ronald Spradling of Mulberry Grove; and half sister, Carla Woolsey of Vandalia.
He was preceded in death by his father.