[Obituary] The Times Tribune, Scranton, PA - Wed 19 Apr 2006
Alfred M. Sporer, 80, of Taylor, formerly of South Scranton, died Tuesday at Community Medical Center. His wife of 53 years, the former Mary June Kelly, died in June 2002.
Born in Scranton, he was the son of the late Alfred J. and Anna Weller Sporer. He was a lifelong member of St. Mary of the Assumption Church, South Scranton. Mr. Sporer was elected to serve on the Scranton School Board for 12 years, two as president. During his tenure, the district undertook construction and renovation of several school buildings, including the Neil Armstrong Elementary School, John F. Kennedy School and the Career Technology Center.
He was also a charter member and president of the Lackawanna County Vocational Technical School and was the former chairman of Region 7 of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association. Mr. Sporer also served on the Lackawanna County School Board, the Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit and the Pennsylvania Advisory Council for Vocational Education.
An electrician by trade, Mr. Sporer spent 60 years as a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 81, developing and teaching a training curriculum for Local 81 that was later adopted nationally.
Prior to retirement, he was an electrical superintendent and headed the electrical work for many major regional projects, including construction of Community Medical Center, Metropolitan Life and Allied Services.
During World War II, Mr. Sporer flew as a staff sergeant in the 20th Air Force in the Pacific theater, stationed in Guam, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He flew weather reconnaissance for both atomic bomb drops in Japan. Mr. Sporer was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters and numerous battle ribbons.
Surviving are a daughter, Sharon, Taylor; a son, Michael and wife, Betsy, Scranton; three sisters, Joan Winters, Scranton; Ruth McAndrews, Avoca, and Marie Skibinski, Lantana, Fla.; three grandchildren, Amy McNulty and husband, James, Rockville, Md., and Robert and Michael Sporer, Scranton; a great-granddaughter, Colleen June McNulty; nieces and nephews.
He was also preceded in death by a sister, Helen Deininger, and a brother, Paul Sporer.
The funeral will be Thursday with Mass at 10:30 a.m. in St. Mary of the Assumption Church, 430 Pittston Ave. Interment, Cathedral Cemetery.