5/3/2013
Robert James Sprecher passed away peacefully on May 3rd at 2:45 AM. Another one of “The G r e a t e s t Generation” has left us to go home to be with his Lord and heavenly family. Born in New Holland, on December 17, 1926, Bob was the son of the late Ralph “Chappy” Sprecher, former Chief of Police of New Holland, and Geneva Lafferty. He graduated from New Holland High School and joined the Navy during WWII and served as a small boat coxswain on LST 1070 in the Pacific Conflict. Upon returning home after the war, he married his high school sweetheart, Josephine Snader. They raised 5 sons, Edward, Fredrick, Gerald, William, and David who went to be with the Lord at the age of 8. They also had a baby girl, Grace Victoria, who lived 2 days. Bob and Josie had a calling to start a Christian church camp for kids and purchased an 87-acre farm. Along with close relatives and friends, they laid the ground work and built the first building for what is now Camp Conquest in Denver, PA. In 1966, after a bad car accident took the life of his youngest son, Davy, and crippled his wife, Josephine, Bob turned the camp over to his church (The Grace Brethren District of churches) where he remained active on the church board and stayed devoted to the camp’s mission up to his last days. From the camp’s meager beginnings in 1966, over 50 years ago, thousands of children, youth, and adult lives have been changed by the spiritual nourishing power of Jesus Christ, through the volunteers on the grounds of Camp Conquest. Bob and Josie’s compassion for helping people, teaching them about salvation in Christ, led them into working with Billy Graham Ministries, Water Street Rescue Mission, Keswick Rehabilitation Missions, and teaching and serving in the local church and many other ministries throughout their lives. One of Bob’s favorite places to go witness and talk about the Lord in last days was the New Holland Coffee Company. There, he continued to do his favorite thing in life, which was to spread the gospel, testifying and witnessing to young and old alike. Bob is survived by his sister, Helen Sprecher Yinger; sons, Edward married to Candice Haller, Fredrick married to Rose A. Conkle, Gerald married to Deborah Zuch, and William married to Brenda Weidman. He is also survived by 9 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren. If you are fortunate enough to have one of “the greatest generation” still alive in your family, then please take the time to love and cherish them. God will bless you for it. Funeral services will be held from the Grace Family Church, 415 S. Kinzer Ave., New Holland, PA on Tuesday, May 7, 2013 at 11 AM with interment following in the Evangelical United Methodist Church Cemetery, New Holland. Friends may call on Monday from 6 to 8 PM and on Tuesday from 9 to 11 AM, all at the Grace Family Church. Kindly omit flowers. Donations in Bob’s name may be made to Camp Conquest, 480 Forest Rd., Denver, PA 17517. Furman’s – Leola FurmanFuneralHome.com