Flossie "Tidy" Spruills

CAMBRIDGE - Flossie "Wise" Spruills, 97, known as "Aunt Tidy" or by her church family as Mother Spruills, passed away Thursday, Sept. 6, 2007, at home.

She was born Feb. 10, 1910, to Ben Wise and Alice Solomon, in Samson, Ala.

Mrs. Spruills was united in holy matrimony to James Spruills, and together they raised four children, Benjamin Poon, Nathaniel Poon, Sonny Poon and Margaret Onley.

At the age of 47, she joined Zion Baptist Church, under the direction of the late Rev. C. J. Branch. She was a faithful member and was a member of the usher board, missionary society, kitchen committee, nurses unit and pastor"s aide committee.

She was employed by the Rob Roy sewing factory for many years until retirement in the early 1970s. She worked part-time at the Elyte Cleaners. When the cleaners burned down, she became a housewife.

Preceding her in death was her mother, Alice Solomon; father, Ben Wise; a brother, James Wise; a niece, Alice Moore; two brother-in-Iaws, Deacon Russell Spruills and his wife, Deaconess Victoria Morgan-Spruils and Willie Edward Spruills and his wife, Marie Spruills; nephew; Samuel Lee Spruills and her husband, James Spruills.

Mrs. Spruills is survived by a step-daughter, Margaret Onley of Exmore, Va.; three sons she raised as her own, Nathaniel M. Poon, (Shirley) of White Plains, Sonny Poon of Florida and Benjamin Poon (Debbie) of Easton; a godson, Noble Rogers Jr., (Amanda) of Cambridge; three nieces, Gladys Camper (Elenzor) of Cambridge, Betty Spruills of Baltimore and Minister Barbara Thomas (Terry) of Hurlock; two nephews, Nelson D. Small (Virginia) of Severn and John C. Morgan Jr. of Baltimore; lifelong friends, Bishop L.T. Blackshear, his wife, Sylvia and family, as well as Jewell Poon. There are 10 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and a number of other relatives and friends.

A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Henry Funeral Home. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow at the Bethel Cemetery.