Mary Esther Biter Sprouse

Born Friday, March 2, 1928, Mary was the first born of Reverend James Biter (d.1946) and Maude Corrine Goss Biter (d.1983). She made her way into this world in her parent’s home in the small Southern textile village of Newry, SC, where her father was a loom fixer and her mother was a textile weaver. Though working full time, her father was also the pastor of Corinth Baptist Church in Newry. At the age of three, her only sibling, Ruth Biter Holcombe (d.2004, Liberty, SC) was born. Together with her family, Mary grew up in a home filled with love of God, friends and community.

Mary was a woman with many “loves”. In her early years, Mary realized her love of and gift for music. She learned to play the piano as a young child, doing so quite well. She, along with her mother and sister would perform gospel hymns as a part of her father’s church services, as well as in tent revival meetings in the rural areas of Oconee and Pickens Counties in South Carolina, continuing this tradition whenever possible throughout the remainder of their lives. As an adult, Mary served the Lord as the pianist of Fellowship Baptist Church in Clayton, NC, for over 25 years, where she sang with dear friends in the church women’s trio, as a soloist, and with the adult choir. One of Mary’s greatest joys was the years that her daughter, Debbie Johnson, sang and played the piano at gospel singings and church. Her love of music was an integral part of her life, even throughout her last days.

Mary had an extraordinary love of her family. As a young mother of seven precious children, she met and married the love of her life, Clarence William Sprouse, (d.1996). They moved from Easley, SC to eastern North Carolina where they raised their family. She was blessed with 5 daughters, Cynthia (Edward) Norville of Pinetops, NC, Judy Hinnant, of Smithfield, NC, Susan Pope of Smithfield, NC, Jean (Terry) Lowery of Clayton, NC, Cyndi (Tom) Harrison of Fuquay-Varina, NC and two sons, Thomas Johnson (d.2009) of Atlanta, GA and Mike (Mary) Johnson of Clayton, NC. The family lived in Greenville, NC, Falkland, NC, Smithfield, NC, and Clayton, NC, moving with employment opportunities in the electronics manufacturing industry. Settling for the longest period of time in the Smithfield area, where Mary and her family were very active in their church and community. For a while, she also worked in the food service industry, as a Supervisor with Smithfield BBQ in Clayton, NC, managing their restaurant and catering. Later, she was instrumental in the startup of the preschool/kindergarten at Fellowship Baptist Church, where she continued her legacy of serving in ministry and sharing her love of God and music with the many children who came through her program. In her later years, after the passing of her husband, she lived in Oak Island, NC working with the US Postal Service, until moving back to Fuquay-Varina, NC, where she has resided with her youngest daughter and family, Portia and Tom Harrison, and their son, Josh.

Mary’s greatest love was her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. She accepted Him at a very young age and lived her life as a shining example of the Love of Jesus. She was a member of The Way of Life Baptist Church in Clayton, NC. She shared this love with everyone she met, but especially many generations of her family with whom she was blessed. Being a grandmother to fourteen, a great grandmother of eighteen, and great- great grandmother of three; and Cora. Mary loved to sing and tell stories from the Bible, living out her faith as witness for others to follow. She was So Loved by So Many people, and will surely be missed here by those who are left behind. Our greatest hope is in knowing she is awaiting our reunion in Heaven.

The family would like to thank Clayton Internal Medicine, Transitions Home Health, Transitions Palliative Care, and Transitions Hospice for the love and care they provided our mom throughout her final years. A special thank you to Heidi, Betsy, and Sylvia for always going above and beyond to care for mom. You both were loved so very much by Mom.