Geoffrey Hart Spranger Passes Away

Newport has been home to several legendary sailors and one such name is Geoffrey Hart Spranger. He passed away at the age of 85 in Middletown, Rhode Island where his home was. His death was unexpected which occurred on 2nd August 2018. He had been admitted at Newport Hospital after being ill for some time. He is the only son of late Ruth Marie and Joseph Williams Spranger. Jeff had been born in 1932 on 25th November in East Providence.

He grew up in Edgewood in Cranston of Rhode Island. He went onto to major in English at Brown University and graduated in the year 1955. As an undergraduate, he gained membership in Theta Delta Chi fraternity group as well as became part of the sailing team at Brown University. Here he even served as president of the college team between the years 1954 to 1955. He also gained a Master degree in teaching from Browns in the year 1967.

Jeff was known for his love for sailing and this took seed with him at a young age. He and his father built Snipe in the year 1950 and later he enrolled as a member of the Edgewood Yacht Club. The Snipe that he built with his father was a source of great pride in his life and he sailed it for the championships of the yacht club for several years till Hurricane Carol claimed the boat.

After he gained his degree in teaching, he taught English as well as Sacred Studies as well as acted as a sailing coach in St George School located in Middletown. He remained as faculty members and sailing coach during the entire tenure of his teaching years at the school. He was also inducted and recognized in the Athletic Hall of Fame of the school in 2008.