Chris Sproul passed away peacefully on Dec. 9, 2022 just two weeks before her 86th birthday. Born Dec. 23, 1936 to Alton and Lotta Hills Dickinson, she lived her entire life in Boothbay, graduating from Boothbay Harbor High School in 1955. She married Jim Sproul in 1956 and together they raised their children, Mike and Jackie.
Chris worked at the Sylvania Plant in Waldoboro for 15 years, and a number of years at Gimbel’s, the Boothbay Railway Museum, and Hannaford. Her best years, however, were driving the school bus. Stories abound of her 12 trips to Quebec City with the French Club and as a chaperone for 30 students on their first trip to Paris with David and Martha Landry. There is no shortage of stories from the countless students on their daily bus ride experiences with Chris.
Many have heard Chris’ stories of her travel to Alaska, a true highlight of her life. She made dozens of trips to Florida, some driving and some flying, and she was there in 1986 to watch the lift off and see the explosion of the Challenger. Short trips or long trips, she was always ready to get into the car and go!
A longtime active member of the Boothbay Harbor Methodist Church, Chris also taught Sunday school and was a counselor at Camp Mechuwana in Winthrop.
Christmas stockings are Chris’ legacy to the community, having knitted over 3,500 personalized stockings with the help of her daughter, Jackie. A good book was always close by when she wasn’t knitting.
Predeceased by her parents, her husband, both her children, her sister, Jan Parmenter, and her brothers, Fred Dougthy and Lou Dickinson, Chris also lost her home of 65 years to a fire last April. She is survived by her grandchildren, Adam Sproul and Erica Sproul, and their mother, Mary; sisters-in-law, Rhonda Dickinson and Dottie Sproul; her nieces, Susanne Parmenter (who spent the most time with Chris over many, many years), Luanne Dickinson, Sandra Dickinson; and nephew, Gill Doughty and wife, Lorrie, along with many other nieces and nephews from the Sproul side. Her cousin, Sharon Gaecklin, was very close to Chris, and was at her side the last few months, but Chris leaves many other cousins, as well as friends – too many to list, but all loved and you know that by her steadfast sending of greeting cards.
A graveside service, followed by a celebration of life and scattering of ashes, is tentatively planned for May 20, 2023 at the Sproul Farm, owned by Mary, Adam, and Erica, where Chris lived the last seven months while her home was being rebuilt. More details will be published later.
