Dr. Edwin H. Sponseller, Jr., 73, of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania passed away surrounded by family Wednesday, April 5, 2017 at the Chambersburg Hospital following an eleven year battle with lymphoma.
Born March 6, 1944 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Sponseller was a son of the late Edwin H., Sr. and Jane Shively Sponseller of Chambersburg. He graduated from Northampton High School Northampton, Massachusetts; and earned his Bachelor and Master of Education degrees from Shippensburg State College (now Shippensburg University) in 1966 and 1968, respectively and his Doctorate in Education from Temple University in 1976. A devoted educator, Sponseller spent thirty-eight years with the Chambersburg Area School District and two years with the Tuscorarora School District. During his career, he was a civics teacher, a basketball coach, assistant principal, assistant superintendent and finished his career as superintendent of the Chambersburg Area School District for eighteen years.
A lifelong athlete, Sponseller enjoyed skiing, basketball and distance running. He completed nearly forty marathons, including London, Prague, New York and Boston, as well as the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C., finishing in 1995 along with his two sons. Sponseller was a member of the Noontime Lions of Chambersburg and the Cumberland Valley Lodge No. 315 F. & A.M. and numerous other educational, civic and community organizations. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church of the Falling Spring.
Sponseller is survived by his beloved wife of forty-eight years, Susanne Slaybaugh Sponseller, whom he married September 6, 1968; two sons, Todd and wife Laura of Chambersburg, Stephen and wife Amelia of Scarbough, Maine; four grandchildren Cooper, Graham, Luke and Emmeline; as well as a brother Timothy and wife Roberta of Chambersburg, sister in law Louisa and husband David Etter of Chambersburg and niece Kara and husband David Addison of Richmond, Virginia.
A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held at 11:00 AM Friday, April 14, 2017 at the Presbyterian Church of the Falling Spring, 221 North Main Street, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania with the Rev. Andy Hart officiating. The family will receive friends immediately following the service in the church’s Family Life Center.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Chambersburg Memorial YMCA, 570 East McKinley Street, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania 17201.