Gerald and Sallie Sprenger

SALLIE LOU (SLOAN) SPRENGER (age 90) and GERALD (JERRY) WILLIAM SPRENGER (age 97) passed away within hours of one another on Friday, Nov. 17, 2017. Both Sallie and Jerry were deeply devoted to each other. They rarely spent a night apart in 65 years of marriage, except in later years when each required extended hospital stays. When Sallie was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, and could no longer live independently, it was no surprise to anyone they chose to live together in a dedicated Alzheimer's facility, even though Jerry did not have dementia. The staff at Memory Care of Little Rock often spoke of the love and devotion the two had for one another. When both Sallie and Jerry became ill and required hospice care, they shared a room at Hospice Home Care's inpatient facility. Last Friday, Sallie died at about 2:30 in the morning. Several hours later, and literally minutes after the funeral home had taken Sallie away, Jerry died. Jerry always called Sallie "the boss".....perhaps she told him to hurry up and join her. Sallie Sprenger was born on June 8, 1927, in Harrell, Ark., to Benjamin and Bertha Sloan. She is survived by her brother George Sloan (Texas), and preceded in death by her other siblings Leroy Sloan of N.M., Jim Sloan, Dorothy Sloan Nowlin and Anna Lou Sloan Gilbert all of Ark. After graduating high school and moving to Little Rock, Sallie worked as a nanny while attending Draughon School of Business and then worked in the main offices of Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, Finkbeiner Meat Packing Company (where she met Jerry) and Southland Lumber Company until her retirement. She will always be remembered as a someone who strived to overcome her very poor upbringing through education, determination and hard work. She loved her garden. She would spend hours every day working in her backyard which was full of perennials and roses. Jerry Sprenger was born on Jan. 24, 1920, in Hartman, Ark., to William and Lena Sprenger. He is preceded in death by his sisters Stella Sprenger Kremer of Hartman, and Frances Sprenger Frala of Clarksville. Jerry served in the Army Air Core during WWII, first as an aircraft engine mechanic with the rank of sergeant, and then as an aerial engineer gunner with the rank of technical sergeant. He successfully flew in 35 combat missions with no casualties for the Rhineland and Central European Campaigns as part of a crew of a B-17 Flying Fortress in the 351st Bombardment Group which was based at Polebrook in Northamptonshire, England. He was awarded numerous service medals. At the time he volunteered to leave the safety of an aircraft mechanic position and train to be part of a B-17 crew he was told that only one in four who flew on those missions would return alive. It is hard to imagine today the spirit of devotion to country and courage that decision must have involved. After his discharge from the Army, Jerry lived several years in Chicago, but returned to Arkansas in the early '50s. Jerry worked as a territory salesman for over 40 years at Finkbeiner Meat Packing Company which later became Bryan Meats. He was known as the smiling "meat man" to hundreds of grocery stores in central and northern Arkansas along the I-40 corridor. After his retirement at age 70 he worked for several years as a butcher at Harry's Market in Little Rock. After his second official retirement, Jerry kept busy with vegetable gardening, mall walking and helping Sallie take care of the elderly residents in their neighborhood. Both Sallie and Jerry were long-term cancer survivors who should be examples of hope for those struggling to beat or live with cancer as a chronic illness. Jerry was a three time cancer survivor-beating Stage Three colon cancer in his 60's, recurrent prostate cancer in his 70's, and advanced bladder cancer in his 80's. Sallie beat Stage Two colon cancer in her late 60's. Early diagnosis was key in the successful treatment of all of these cancers. They would want part of their legacy to be that everyone remember to get colonoscopies, prostate exams and mammograms! Sallie and Jerry are survived by their three children: Theresa Sprenger and Jim Dunn (Hilton Head, S.C.), Tim and Delores Sprenger (Little Rock), and Katie Sprenger and Scott Dupslaff (Little Rock); grandchildren Tyler Dunn, Melissa Sprenger, Michael Rowe, and Matt Rowe; seven great-grand children; and three great-great-grandchildren. Visitation with the family will be held on Monday, Nov. 20, 2017, from 6-7 p.m. followed by a rosary service at 7 p.m. at Griffin-Leggett, Haley and Roth funeral home (located at 5800 W.12th St. Little Rock). Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2017, at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church located at 1321 S. Van Buren St., Little Rock with burial immediately following at Calvary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, although Sallie loved flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to Mt. St. Mary Academy or Catholic High School, both in Little Rock. Jerry and Sallie worked long hours and sacrificed much to give their children Catholic educations, and we would like to help "pay it forward." To sign the online guestbook, go to www.griffinleggetthealeyroth.com.