Darphine (Toston) Spraling

Darphine Toston-Spraling was born February 1, 1949 to Margella Pearse and James
Toston, in Dermott, Ark.

Darphine knew and loved the Lord and at an early age of three, she joined Silvermont
Missionary Baptist Church, when at that age she began singing. She attended Morris Booker Memorial College and after graduation 1967, she enrolled and attended Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark majoring in Music. She moved to Omaha, NE in the late summer of 1970 to be with her family and ready to work. Darphine worked at Bergan Mercy Hospital as a Neo-Natal nurse before becoming a Respiratory Therapist there. She completed the Certified Nursing Assistant Program at OOIC in 2000. Due to illness, she had to retire early, leaving the medical field that she loved so much.

Prior to uniting with Salem Baptist Church, she had briefly attended Cleaves Temple
C.M.E. Church with her mom and dad, Margella and Charlie Sullivan Jr., always ready
to sing when asked. She was an active member at Salem Baptist Church, where she
participated in several choirs. She was featured as a lead singer on the Salem Baptist
Church Inspirational Choir album I Dont Feel Noways Tired, singing Lets Lift Up The
Christ. Darphine also attended and sung in the Gospel Musical Workshop and Faith
Temples Midnight Special.

Darphine married Larry Spraling in 1973 which ended in a divorce. Even though there
weren't any children born into this union, she loved to encourage her nieces and
nephews, and making sure they knew how much God loved them, not only did she tell
them, but to the many children she mentored throughout her lifetime. She was always in
ministry mode, her favorite saying and the motto she lived by was, If I can help
somebody, then my living will not be in vain.

She preceded in death her parents, Margella and Charlie Sullivan, James
Toston(biological dad), grandparents, Aunt Ocie Lee Pearse, brothers Charles
E.Sullivan, Todd Toston, and Sharon Foster-Miller, sister.

Darphine departed this life unexpectedly on Friday April 10, 2020. She leaves to cherish
her memories 5 sisters: Bobbie Pointer(Anthony, Sr.), Cincinnati OH, Dian
Burroughs(John), Memphis TN, Eardie B.Wiliams(Maurice), Omaha NE, Jessie Toston,
St Louis MO, Delise Craven(Daryel), St. Louis MO, 5 brothers: Leonard Sullivan(Joann)
Omaha NE, Harvey Sullivan, Blue Springs MO, Garon Foster(Augusta), Omaha NE,
Don Kenneth Toston(Helena), St. Louis MO, Larry Toston, San Jose CA, uncles Alonzo Sullivan(Deloris), Memphis, TN, Lonnie Sullivan(Mattie), Omaha, NE and a host of
nieces, nephews. Aunts, Uncles, and cousins.