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 1969, respectively, and his Doctorate of 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.

Ed was a lifelong athlete. He enjoyed skiing, basketball and long distance running. He completed nearly forty marathons, including London, Prague, New York and Boston. His first was the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C. in 1983, which he went on to run several more times, including the1995 race when he joined his two sons in running their first marathons. His love of running inspired many others in the community. He had a smile and a positive word for all runners, from the winners to those in the back of the pack. He enjoyed leading weekend training runs along with his brother and many friends in the mountains of Caledonia State Park in Fayetteville, PA.

Ed loved to travel with his family and friends. Beach vacations on Cape Cod were an annual tradition when his children were younger, and the family has many special memories from these trips. After their retirement, Ed and Susy traveled to several other countries, often in the company of their dear friends. He loved sunshine and the beach, and took any opportunity to relax on the ocean or the lake with a good book.

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 for almost 50 years.

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 Scarborough, 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 Fayetteville,, and niece Kara and husband David Addison of Richmond, Virginia.

“Pap Junior” had a special love for his four grandchildren, who will carry treasured memories of countless stories on his lap, bike and tractor rides, basketball lessons, tea parties and family beach trips.

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.

The family would like to thank Dr. John Robinson for his care of Ed over the years, as well as the Emergency Room and Critical Care staff at the Chambersburg Hospital.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Chambersburg Memorial YMCA, 570 East McKinley Street, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, 17201.

Arrangements are entrusted to Thomas L. Geisel Funeral Home and Cremation Center, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.

The family would love for you to share your memories and stories of Ed. Please visit his memory page at http://facebook.com/rememberinged to contribute.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Dr. Edwin H. Sponseller Jr., please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.