ROCKINGHAM – On Monday, Oct. 12, 2020, the Rev. Annie Mae Dawkins Sproles, 87, heard the welcome words of her Lord and Savior, “Well done good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joys of thy Lord.”
She was born Aug. 29, 1933 at Walter and Annie Biggs Lampley homeplace in the Midway community of Rockingham and was the oldest child born to Fairly and Margaret Lampley Dawkins.
Annie Mae was a 1954 graduate of Randleman High School, received a bachelor’s degree in Theology from Holmes Theological Seminary, a bachelor’s degree in Biblical Study from Beulah Heights Bible College and worked toward a Master of Divinity at the Interdenominational Theological Seminary.
In 1951, she was ordained a missionary, in 1957 she received a local preacher’s license, and in 1983, was the first woman licensed to pastor in the Congregational Holiness Church. She pastored in Edgefield, South Carolina, served Mount Beulah Congregational Holiness Church, now Mount Beulah Pentecostal Holiness Church, and was a charter member and pastored Harvest Ministries Congregational Holiness Church for 20 years in Rockingham, where she was named pastor emeritus following her retirement as pastor.
In the Congregational Holiness Church Conferences, she served as general youth director for two years, taught in the Congregational Bible Institute and served as academic dean.
She was also on the faculty and staff of Beulah Heights Bible College for eight years, having served as dean of women, taught Old Testament, Church History and Government. In later years, she was asked to join the faculty and staff of Holmes Bible College as dean of women, largely because of her great influence on young people.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, the Rev. Conner Noble Sproles.; her sister and brother-in-law, Ruby Joyce and Gilbert Grooms; and her sister-in-law, Carolyn Dawkins.
Surviving are her sister and brother, Lucille (Roy) Barrington of Greensboro and Fairley Dawkins of Belmont; her nieces and nephews and their families.
Also surviving are her stepdaughters, Rachel Lampley of Rockingham and Marilyn Kirby of Greenville, South Carolina; four step-grandchildren, Annette Wallace of Rockingham, Kim Burns, Randall Kirby and Judy Link, all of Greenville, South Carolina; and three step-great-grandchildren.
There will be a service of worship celebrating the life of the Rev. Sproles on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020 at 11 a.m., on the grounds of Harvest Ministries Congregational Holiness Church, 103 Harvest Church Road, Rockingham, with Bishop Wayne Hicks, the Rev. Donnie Robson, Dr. Sam Chand and Dr. Brenda Chand officiating. Interment will follow in Eastside Cemetery.
The family will greet friends during an informal visitation one hour prior to the service.
In lieu of flowers, it is the request of the Rev. Sproles and her family that God’s word continue to be shared among the world by memorial gifts made through Gideon’s International, P.O. Box 97251, Washington, DC 20090-7251; or the American Bible Society, 101 North Independence Mall East FL8, Philadelphia, PA 19106-2155.
Due to COVID 19, the family requests all who are in attendance to wear masks and practice social distancing. While seating will be limited, those attending the service are encouraged to bring a lawn chair.
The arrangements are in care of Leavitt Funeral Home, Wadesboro. Online condolences may be made at www.leavittfh.com.
(Note: Corrections have been made to this obituary by the funeral home.)
