Joe L. Spratt was born on July 3, 1937 in Itta Bena, Mississippi to the late Issac Spratt and the late Theola Starks-Spratt. Joe Louis was one of nine children. He was a very soft-spoken man with a great big voice when it came to singing God’s praises.

 

 
Joe moved to Minneapolis from Marion, Indiana in 1977. He united with Macedonia Baptist Church and later joined a gospel quartet called The “Traveling Echo’s.” He sang with Bro. Jimmy Boone and the Chosen Wonders and Rev. J.D. Mitchell and the Wings of Faith Gospel Singers.

 

 
Four of Joe’s favorite songs were “If it Wasn’t for the Lord, What Would I Do?,” “I Know Jesus Will Fix It for You,” “I Know the Storm Is Passing Over Hallelujah,” and “I’ve Got That Ole Time Religion All Over Me.”

 

 
Deacon Spratt didn’t talk much, but he expressed his feelings and love for Christ through the messages he sang. We loved him, but March 28, 2012 at 10 pm God called him home to sing with the angels.

 

 
Family members who preceded him in death are: his father and mother, Issac and Theola Spratt; sisters Irene Spratt, Bessie Bolden and Mary Calhoun; brother Sanford Spratt; and daughter Savannah Jackson.

 

 
Joe leaves to cherish his memory his wife of 25 years Rev. Dr. Mary Flowers Spratt of Minneapolis, MN; 12 children, six by his first wife Laura Spratt (daughters Mary Spratt-Jackson [Kenneth] of Marion, Ind., Kathryn Spratt-Sanders [Willie] of Dalton, Ill., Lois Spratt of Lemo, Ohio and Michelle Spratt of Chicago, Ill.; and sons Bobby Charles Spratt of Chicago, Ill. and Joe Louis Spratt, Jr., of Dallas, Texas) and six children with present wife Rev. Mary Flowers Spratt  (daughters Sharon Kay White, Marilyn McCray, Michelle Brunson, Alisa Renee Clemons and LaJuanda Flowers Davis [Merrill], all of Minneapolis, MN, and one son, Alfred D. Flowers, Jr. [Patunya] of Minneapolis).

 

 
Joe also leaves to cherish his memory brother Issac Spratt (Sarah) Slaughter, Miss.; sister Theola Freshwater, Marion, Ind.; brother Robert Spratt, Minneapolis; sister Lorene Whitson, Minneapolis; 86 grandchildren and great grandchildren and a host of cousins, nephews, nieces and friends.