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SPROUL -- Clarence G. Sproul, Jr. passed away on Saturday, October 16, 2004 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Clarence was born in Fork Ridge, Tennessee, on January 23, 1913 to Clarence G. Sproul, Sr. and Esta Imes Sproul. His mother passed away form typhoid fever when Clarence Jr. was only 9 months old; he was sent to be raised by his maternal grandparents, Harrison D. Imes and Martha Imes. His sister, Evelyn Sproul, was sent to live with her paternal grandparents. Clarence was raised in Wellston, Ohio, where he had many fond memories delivering newspapers from his bicycle, sneaking under the ballpark fence to attend games, playing in the summer with his cousin, Gene Imes, and playing basketball for Wellston High School. After high school, he played basketball for the Wellston Merchants who sponsored both men and women's teams. It was through the basketball league that he met Claudine Hudson of Wellston, and they married on August 7, 1933. He worked for Denver Lewis' Trucking Company in Wellston, Williams Shoe Company in Portsmouth, Ohio, and Superior Die and Tool in Columbus, Ohio. He was then recruited to work on the Manhattan Project in Los Alamos, New Mexico. He drove cross-country through several snow and ice storms and reported to the Los Alamos check-in office in Santa Fe the first workday of January 1945. After completion of the Los Alamos contract in July of 1945, Claudine came west on a troop train to Lamy, New Mexico with their 3 small children; David, Jane and Jeff. Clarence and the family moved to Albuquerque where he had several small jobs before the University of California (now Sandia National Labs) hired him to work. He retired form Sandia National Labs and spent more than twenty years traveling the US with Claudine. He loved to fish in the Chama River, Bluewater Lake and Vallecitos Lake and loved deer hunting in New Mexico. In the late 1940s and 1950s, some South Valley farmers would welcome Clarence and his shooting buddy, Alan Putnam, to "take out" their crows. They spent many a Saturda y morning in the South Valley. Their grandchildren have fond memories of traveling with them. Clarence was a great storyteller and loved to share his life experiences including endearing and humorous recollections of his years spent at Sandia Labs. Clarence is survived by his loving wife of seventy one years, Claudine Sproul, Albuquerque; step sister, Mary Dale Freeman, Williamsburg, Kentucky; son, David Sproul and wife, Sue, Colorado Springs, CO; daughter, Jane Bickelman, Albuquerque; a son, Jeff Sproul and wife, Mary, Albuquerque. He is also survived by grandchildren; Kevin Sproul and wife, Becky, Conifer, Colorado; Chris Sproul and wife, Pam, Camarillo, CA; Deborah Bickelman Burns and husband, Robert Burns, Santa Fe; Eric Bickelman and wife, Becky, Albuquerque; Carol Bickelman Boren and husband, Rance Boren, Brownwood, Texas; Sarah Sproul Cole and husband, Cisco Cole, Blair, Nebraska; and Jeffrey Sproul, Albuquerque. He has 10 great grandchildren with 2 more on the way. The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the earthly angels at The Cottages who cared so lovingly for Clarence. Service will be held at the Chester T. French Memorial Mausoleum Chapel, Sunset Memorial Park, 924 Menaul Blvd. NE., on Wednesday, October 20, 2004 at 10:00 a.m. with Pastor Michael Brunk, of Christ United Methodist Church officiating. In lieu of flowers, please make donations for research in his name to Alzheimer's Association of New Mexico, 8100 Mountain Road NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110 French Mortuary 10500 Lomas Blvd. NE 275-3500
        Published on: Mon October 18, 2004