Frankie Lee Spraggs was born on June 30, 1942 in the small town of Merigold, Sunflower County, Mississippi to the late Mother Della Mae Johnson Spraggs and Arthur Spraggs. His parents divorced when he was a baby; subsequently Frankie and his mother developed a very strong bond during his early years. His mother was a God-fearing woman who taught him to trust in the Lord God in spite of the challenges experienced in life. His mother took him to church at Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church in Lombardy, Mississippi where his grandparents, the late Deacon Frank Johnson and the late Mother Pearlie Willis Johnson were members. In 1946, Della Mae married her loving husband of 53 years, Edward Ellis, who became Frankie's loving stepfather. He was their only child. The young family of three worked hard as sharecroppers alongside their parents until they moved to New York City in 1953 in search of better opportunities. Frankie attended Metropolitan Baptist Church in Harlem, NY with his parents from 1953 to 1956. In 1957, the family moved to Bronx, New York and Frankie attended Union Grove Baptist Church in the Bronx as a teenager where his mother was a member.

In 1963, Frankie married his beloved "Babsie," Barbara Ann Hughes. During their marriage, three of his four beloved children were born. In 1964, Frankie was drafted into the U. S. Army for The Vietnam War. He served in Korea and was honorably discharged after two years of service. Frankie gained college credits in Police Science and graduated from The Recruit Training School of The New York City Police Academy in March of 1969. He worked as a New York City Police Officer until retiring in the 1980s. He was an avid reader, chess player, and lover of music, and African-American history. He played acoustic and electric guitar, and enjoyed listening to jazz and blues music, as well as traditional gospel quartets. Frankie had a big smile. He enjoyed watching historical documentaries, as well as science fiction and epic fantasy genre films.

Frankie's life was not without struggles and hardships, but through God's amazing grace, he overcame many trials and tribulations. Frankie was the primary caretaker for his mother when she fell ill until her death in 2004, and he also cared for his Aunt Lula for an extended period of time. Frankie loved and took great pride in his children, and grandchildren. Even in his own illness, his eyes would open wide, and his big smile would light up the room whenever he saw them. Close to his heart was his beloved "Babsie" who lovingly and devotedly cared for him during the last two and a half years of his life. They held hands until the very end. Love never fails. On the morning of August 22, 2017, Frankie departed this life at home in Red Hill, Pennsylvania and entered into eternal rest with Christ.

His mother and stepfather, Della Mae and Edward Ellis, his father and stepmother, Arthur and Marea Spraggs, and his mother-in-law, Florie Hughes, preceded him in death. Frankie is survived by his beloved "Babsie," Barbara Ann Hughes, his two sons, Frankie Lee Spraggs Jr and Shawn Michael Spraggs, his two daughters, Michelle Della Spraggs-Winters, and Zane Ernestine Spraggs, one son-in-law, Daniel K. Winters Sr, one daughter-in-law, Halima A. Spraggs, five grandchildren, Daniel K. Winters Jr, Andre E. L. Winters, Michael X. Winters, Hana M. Winters, and Malia M. Winters, one sister, Lorean Spraggs, three sister-in-laws, Judy Gould, Lorencia Berry, and Marian Gaines, one brother-in-law, Larry Gould, two aunts, Lula Spraggs Terry and Beatrice Ellis, one uncle, Dennis Ellis, nine nephews and nieces, Keisha Berry, Monica Gould, Dwayne Velasquez, Lori Rodriguez, Kevin and Keith Green, and Derrick, Kenisha, and Keshonda Gause, and a host of cousins, grandnephews, grandnieces, and friends.