At 89, she’s grandma by proxy at Buckeye West

ADENA -- West Elementary School Nurse Delores Spragg has been a fixture within the Buckeye Local School District for the past 17 years, so it comes as no surprise when staff and students honored her for her 89th birthday.

Well, at least Spragg was surprised by the gesture on May 17 as teachers, staff, administrators and pupils gathered in the gym just after the school arrivals and presented her with a commemorative cake and handmade cards.

"They called me to the gym and sang 'Happy Birthday' and gave me a cake with candles. They also decorated with balloons, cards and signs. As the day went by, the kids wished me a happy birthday," she said. "It was nice. With everything closed down last year, it was a good thing for everybody. It got us back into a routine of just having some fun."

She was moved by the support and said she has enjoyed her time and has no plans to stop anytime soon. Spragg began working in the district in 2004 after spending 30 years on the other end of the spectrum with a nursing home facility.

She was born and raised in northern Belmont County and found her calling as a nurse after assisting with an ill neighbor while growing up. Spragg graduated from Mount Pleasant High School in 1950 and Ohio Valley School of Nursing in 1953, plus she went on to earn a degree in administration and social work from Ohio University Eastern in 1981. Spragg also married and raised three children, and her brood has since expanded to include four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She recalled completing clothing alterations and consulting at nursing homes before being asked to assist with diabetic students in the local school system.

She has worked with youth from the Shamrocks 4-H Club for six decades and Mount Pleasant Presbyterian Church Sunday School for 65 years, where she found she had a knack with children.

That proved to be beneficial when she was asked to join Buckeye Local. She eventually filled the post at West and has done everything from treating scrapes from at recess or gym class to providing medication and treatments as well as vision and hearing tests to students.

Spragg has led fundraisers for the American Heart Association to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, raising thousands of dollars for the causes. Spragg has been a part of her church choir and acted as an elder, but her true path has been to serve the children.

Principal Jim Rocchi said Spragg has been a mainstay and staff and students alike adore her.

"Mrs. Spragg is truly one of a kind," he said. "Her dedication to our students and passion for nursing is evident through her lifetime of work. She is loved by every student and staff member and is always willing to offer her wealth of medical advice to anyone. We are honored to have Mrs. Spragg tending to our students."

Spragg said the time will come to step away, but right now it isn't in the cards.

"I feel the Lord is leading me. He's giving me the knowledge and I have to share it," she said. "I'd be bored to death if I didn't do something. I think about retiring but then ask what would I do. I'm the kids' grandma here and some of them even call me Grandma. I hope they see an older person who is out working and caring. Whenever God tells me to retire, I'll retire."