Irene Catherine Sprouse

A Fox’s Mountain girl weighing 13 lbs. entered this world June 1, 1921. She was believed to be dead and laid in a dresser drawer, a custom for new borns at that time. Hours later, the mid-wife noticed movement and declared a strong-willed female was alive. Her name became Irene Catherine Shiflett, the third child of George William Shiflett and Hazel Garrison Shiflett.

Loving school, she and her two older brothers, Albert and Carl walked five miles, from Fox’s Mountain to a one-room school at Mt. Fair. Later the growing family moved to their Mt. Fair farm. Having access to a school bus for transportation, she continued her education at Crozet High School.

At 16, in 1937, she married Ellis A. Sprouse of Free Union and spent five years as the wife of a farm manager at View Point Farm, Ivy, Va. earning one dollar per day. On a snowy day in 1943, she and her husband left their new brick home with modern plumbing in Ivy for the two-story house at Mechums River on Route 240 without indoor plumbing. Lots of hard work, determination, and in many cases, hardships by both her and her husband, they created a loving home which still remains on 240 near Crozet. In 1959, Irene went to work at Sperry Piedmont Company; retiring in 1983. In 1965, Irene and her husband developed the Beaver Hill Mobile Home Park which in later years became the Beaver Hill Senior Village for those fifty-five plus.

She is “Mom” to all who know her. A well-groomed lady, looking much younger than her 97 years. Her husband of 61 years died in 1999. She will always be the most wonderful mother to her three children: her oldest child, a daughter, Beverly Ergenbright (Richard – deceased) of Crozet; a son, Clay (Sonnie) Sprouse (Nancy) of Crozet and youngest child, Gaye Gawa (John) of Groton, Ma.

Her family admired her for the values she instilled in them that in turn they had the tools to pass to her grandchildren: Jeffrey Sprouse (Michelle) of Greenwood; Deena Seay of Tucker, Georgia; Wendell Seay (Celia) of St. Petersburg, Florida and Lieutenant Colonel Charles E. Ergenbright (Thera) of Holly Springs, N.C. Her great-grandchildren are Hunter Loose, Lauren Wood (Dwayne), Logan Sprouse, Jordan Sprouse, Emily Seay, Hailey Ergenbright, Hannah Ergenbright and Kathleen Ergenbright.

Of nine children, two siblings remain: Mary Vernon of Dyke, Va. and Nadine Shiflett of Red Hill, Va.

The family will receive friends from 5 until 7 p.m. Saturday, June 9th, at Teague Funeral Home.

Funeral service will be conducted at 2 p.m., Sunday, June 10 at Mountain Plain Baptist Church, Old Three Notch’d Rd, Mechums River, officiated by Dr. Sam Kellum.

Interment will be at Mt. Moriah Methodist Church, Whitehall, Virginia. Thereafter, a gathering will be held at Restoration Restaurant at Old Trail Golf Club, Crozet, Va.

In lieu of flowers, those who wish to make a memorial donation may send it to the Fellowship Building Fund, Mountain Plain Baptist Church, 4281 Old Three Notch’d Rd. Charlottesville, Va. 22901.