William Sprague

1926 - 2015

William Wallace Sprague, Jr - SAVANNAH - William Wallace Sprague, Jr, 89, died peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family on December 30, 2015. He was born on Nov 11, 1926 at Mary Telfair Hospital to William Wallace Sprague and Mary Swan Crowther Sprague. He was educated at St Paul's School in Concord New Hampshire, served for two years with United States Navy at the end of WWII, and completed his education at MIT and Yale with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering in 1950. He was Chairman of the Board and CEO of Savannah Foods and Industries, makers of Dixie Crystals sugar, from 1972 to 1994. Under his leadership Savannah Foods grew from a small regional sugar refinery to a major national sugar company and member of the Fortune 500. From 1980 to 1990 Savannah Foods was #2 in total return to shareholders in the Fortune 500, with a total return of 4,862%. He was very proud of the achievements on the national and world stage of the Company and its employees working together. He was well known and respected as a leader throughout the sugar business worldwide. He served as a Director and Chairman of the World Sugar Research Organization, London, England, Director and Chairman of the US Cane Sugar Refiners Association, President of the New York Sugar Club, Director of the Grocery Manufacturers Association, and Director of the National Association of Manufacturers. He served as a Director of the C&S Bank, and continued to serve as a Director as the Bank grew into Bank of America. In 1985 he received the Dyer Memorial Sugar Man of the Year award for his contributions to the sugar industry, and in 1999 he was inducted into the Georgia Southern University's Business Hall of Fame. He was very involved in the Savannah community, working with many civic and charitable organizations to improve the lives of people in the community in which he lived. In 1991 he received the Oglethorpe Award for his contributions to the City of Savannah. In 1988 he was named Industrialist of the Year by the Savannah Chapter of the International Management Council. He was a Trustee of the Savannah Business Group, Trustee and President of the Savannah Benevolent Association, Director of the Chatham Club, Director of the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce, Vice Chairman of the CEO Council, and Director of South Atlantic Foundation. He served as a fundraiser for numerous local charities, including the United Way, the YMCA, and Goodwill Industries. He also served as senior warden of Christ Episcopal Church and later became a communicant and supporter of Christ Church Anglican. He was a bon vivant whose zest in life was unsurpassed, from the board room to sailing, hunting, and fishing, activities which he pursued the world over. His irrepressible sense of humor and his enthusiasm for making Savannah a better place will be sorely missed. He is survived by his wife Elizabeth Carr Sprague, their children Lauren Duane Sprague, (Mary Ellen Wedewer) Courtney Sprague Flexon (Phillip Billings Flexon MD) William Wallace Sprague III, and Elizabeth Sprague O'Meara (Gerard Joseph O'Meara Jr.), his grandchildren Lauren Flexon Marcinkoski, William Winner Sprague, Alexander Hartley Sprague, Katherine Carr Sprague, Ellen Adeline Sprague, Anna Augusta Sprague, Donald Lawrence Sprague, Gerard Joseph O'Meara III, Taryn Elizabeth O'Meara, and Benedict Patrick O'Meara, his great grandchildren Samuel Phillip Marcinkoski and Alexander Joseph Marcinkoski, and by his sister, Mary Swan Sprague Iselin. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 2 at Christ Church Anglican, 2020 Bull Street, Savannah GA at 11:00 AM. The family suggests that any remembrances be sent to Christ Church Anglican, The Whitfield Center, or the Low Country Open Land Trust. Please sign our on-line guest book at www.foxandweeks.com Savannah Morning News January 1, 2016 Please sign our Obituary Guest Book at savannahnow.com/obituaries.