Obituaries

Worthie Robert Springer Jr.

Photo of Worthie Robert Springer Jr.
Dr. Worthie Robert Springer Jr. made a peaceful transition to enter heaven with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on January 1, 2012, at the Arkansas Hospice Unit at St. Vincent Infirmary after a lengthy illness. He has gone on to meet his father, Worthy Robert Springer Sr. and his mother, Adeline Elizabeth Gilbert Springer and brother, Theodore Springer. Following the family tradition started by his grandfather, Rev. Horace Springer Sr., Dr. Springer committed his life to Christ and was an active life-long member of Ward Chapel A.M.E. Church, where he faithfully served the Lord as a Steward, Trustee, Superintendent of Sunday School, and chairperson of various programs. As a follower of Christ, Dr. Springer tirelessly extended himself as a servant leader in his church and to the community at large. Dr. Springer graduated as Valedictorian of Dunbar High School Class of 1949 and Dunbar Jr. College with Honors. Thereafter, he served in the United States Air Force for four (4) years. In 1957, Dr. Springer received his Bachelor of Science in Natural Science from Philander Smith College. His awards included listing in Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges, a member of Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society, Beta Kappa Chi, the National Honorary Scientific Society, one of the star players on the Panther football team, and he crossed the burning sands into Alpha land as a member of the Beta Chi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Dr. Springer was among the earliest African Americans to attended the University of Arkansas School of Medicine and received a Bachelor of Science in Medicine (B.S.M) and a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.). He completed his internship and residency at Pontiac Michigan's General Hospital. He returned to Arkansas and opened his private practice in downtown North Little Rock in 1962. In 1967, Dr. Springer moved his family back to his roots in the Granite Mountain community founded by his grandfather, Horace Springer and his practice to Little Rock purchasing a building across from Children's Hospital which was later named the Springer Building in his honor. The Village Square building across from Philander became his last location for his private practice until its closing crediting more than 35 years of service to the Little Rock African American community. Dr. Springer continued to service the community making house calls and working for various clinics in Pulaski and Jefferson counties until his retirement in 2006. Dr. Springer's affiliations included: former Chairman of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) for the State of Arkansas, Board of the YMCA's Allen W. Young Branch; Member of the Pulaski County Hospital Board of Governors; Member of the Metro-Plan Committee; Member of the Family Planning Committee; Member of the Philander Smith College's Board of Trustees; Member of the Urban League of Greater Little Rock, Inc.'s Executive Board of Directors; Lifetime Member of the Arkansas Medical, Dental, and Pharmaceutical Association; Member of the American Medical Association; Member of the National Medical Association; Public Employees Medical Board and the Teacher Retirement Medical Review Board. He was a member of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity. For his philanthropic and humanitarian acts of love, Dr. Springer received the following awards: Unsung Hero Award from the Black Nurse's Association; Outstanding Humanitarian Award by the Arkansas House of Representatives; the Hazo W. Carter, Jr. Presidential Award, by Philander Smith College; Korean War Medals from the United States' Air Force; the Frederick D. Patterson Memorial Award from the United Negro College Fund; and citations from the State of Arkansas, former Governor Bill Clinton, U.S. Congressman Tommy Robinson, State Representative John Ward, Jerome Long of Wesleyan University's Department of Religion, (Middletown, Connecticut), Whetstone & Whetstone Attorney at Law, Chancellor Merlin J. Augustine from the University of Arkansas, the Little Rock School District and countless others for saving the life of Reverend John Phillips and others at Ward Chapel A.M.E. Church. He is survived by his beloved wife of 54 years, Lillian Yvonne Ray; children: Robert (Bonita), Yvonne, Richard (Luz), Chandra, Tamara (Arthur), Dianne Ray, Barbie Ray, Eric Ray (Jo-Dee), Ashlee Ray, and Blake Ray; three brothers, Paul (Mercille), Charles (Delores), James, and two sisters, Constance Redix and Doris Smith (Carl); special cousin, Delores Godley. To his great joy he was proud to be called "Paw Paw" by fifteen grandchildren: Veronica, Alex, Christine, Mychall, Jasyl Jaymee', Kyle, Christian, Teddy, Ariana, Worthie (Tré), Caitlyn, Elliot, Kameron, Robert, Summer, and Abigail and eight great-grandchildren: Montre, M'Kayla, McKenzie, Kaleb, Kevin, Zya, Mychall Jr., Caleigh, many nieces, nephews, god-children and a host of other family members. The family will receive friends on Sunday, January 8, 2012 from 3-5 p.m. at Moody Chapel A.M.E. Church. On Monday, January 9, 2012, at Bethel A.M.E. Church, 815 W. 16th St. in Little Rock, a public viewing will be held from 9-10:30 a.m. before the service begins. Funeral service will begin promptly at 10:30 a.m. Interment will follow at the Arkansas State Veteran's Cemetery, 1501 W. Maryland Ave., North Little Rock, Ark. Professional services have been entrusted to Willis Funeral Home, McGehee, Ark.

Published January 6, 2012

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