Ralph Sprunk
Ralph Sprunk
Ralph Sprunk
May 20, 1929 – April 8, 2024
Oskaloosa, Iowa | Age 94
Ralph Sprunk, 94, of Oskaloosa, passed on to his heavenly home on Monday, April 8, 2024, at The Cottages in Pella. He was born Monday, May 20, 1929, in Devils Lake, North Dakota, the oldest of seven children born to Ralph and Elizabeth Sprunk.
After a year, the family moved to Chaffee, North Dakota.
Ralph graduated from Chaffee High School.
These years followed the Great Depression, and like many families, they struggled, with some joy, to make a living. Ralph worked on the farms, on the railroad, in building construction, as an associate and later manager of a grain elevator.
His mother was a Catholic and saw that her children either got a catholic or protestant church. At the age of 13, he accepted Christ as his savior, but backslid because of lack of discipline. When he was 21, he reconciled to the Lord, and the next year filled with sprit. As a result, God called him to teach and preach his word. His work took him to Fargo, North Dakota, and it was there he met Vera. They served in the church they were attending and ministered in a little mission on Skid Row. After ministering together for some time, they realized their lives could be spent together serving the Lord.
Ralph married Vera Warner on June 30, 1962.
After their marriage, he desired to continue his education, so they moved to University Park, Iowa, where he graduated with honors from Vennard College. They then moved to Kansas City, where he enrolled and graduated with honors from The Nazarene Theological Seminary. While in seminary, God blessed them with the birth of their son, Timothy, born May 10, 1965.
After graduation they returned to University Park where Ralph was employed by Vennard College as a professor for 27 years.
Ralph pastored part time at the Rose Hill Community Church for 22 years. In teaching Bible and Theology and preaching the Word these many years with students and ministering around the world, he thanked the Lord that his life was multiplied times over. What a blessed marriage and ministry in and for the Lord they enjoyed.
Ralph, Vera, and Tim enjoyed traveling, visiting many states including Alaska, and made numerous trips to Colorado and North Dakota to visit family. They made a trip to the Holy Land which included such places as London, Greece, Lebanon, Damascus, Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, and Jerusalem. He counted his blessings from the Lord including the many relatives and friends he had in educational, church, and community settings. He especially enjoyed reading, teaching, and preaching God’s word and seeing God’s faithfulness.
Those left to cherish the memory of his life and ministry for the Lord includes, a son and his wife, Tim and Loretta Sprunk of Pella; grandchildren that he cherished, Ryan (Crystal) Sprunk and Morgan (Michael) Van Zante; four great grandchildren, Dylan, Ales, Kinsley, and Haven; three sisters, Mary Lou Cappeton and Mary Georgiana, Jane Jacobson; two brothers-in-law, Rev. Luther Bergeland and George Garland; and many nieces and nephews.
Ralph was preceded in death by his wife Vera on April 2, 2020; his parents; two brothers, Fred Sprunk and Ronald Sprunk; and a sister, Rose Ann Garland.
Ralph left this message: “Thank you to all who shared a part of your lives with me. Now I am truly going home and my beloved Vera and I will be together again”.
Funeral services will be held Friday, April 12, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. in the Gateway Church of the Nazarene with Reverends Darren Melton and David Childers officiating.
Burial will be in the University Park Cemetery in University Park. The Bates Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.
Visitation will begin on Thursday, April 11, 2024, at 12 noon at the Gateway Church of the Nazarene in Oskaloosa and the family will be at the church in the evening from 5-7 to greet friends and relatives. Memorials may be made to Gateway Church of the Nazarene.
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