Stewart Van Vliet Spragins

West Point, 1949

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Terry Powers on December 10, 2022:

Col. Stewart Van Vliet Spragins 1926 - 2018 Asheville - Col Stewart Van Vliet Spragins, USAF (Ret.) passed away on February 4, 2018, from complications associated with Parkinson's disease. He was the third son of MG Robert L Spragins, USA (Ret) and Marguerite Van Vliet Spragins, of Huntsville, AL. Stu was born on November 17, 1926, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and had several full careers--as a distinguished Air Force officer and pilot, as a local business management consultant, as a science high school teacher at Newfound School, and as an accomplished artist. He graduated from the United States Military Academy (West Point), class of 1949 and served 24 years in the Air Force. During his career he flew many Air Force bombers, fighters and reconnaissance aircraft, notably the B-47, RB57, F-101, F-4, worked as a launch controller for several Project Gemini launches, and was Deputy Commandant at the US Air Force Academy. Stu is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Potter Spragins of Asheville, NC, his daughter Dorothy S Nielsen (Paul) of Pittsburgh, and his sons, William E Spragins of Marshall, NC, and Robert V Spragins of Oakland, CA. In addition he is survived by four grandchildren--Eric D Nielsen, Kristin N Ray (Evan), Steven S Nielsen and Samuel F Spragins--and two great-grandchildren- R Elias Ray and Sylvia E Ray. He is also survived by Elizabeth Spragins' daughter Elizabeth Allison Haggin (Louis) and her grandsons, Lee Haggin and Cabot Haggin. Stu was preceded in death by his first wife, Carolyn W Spragins of Asheville, NC, in January 2001. His family and friends will miss his love, his great laugh, his commitment to his country and region, his fondness for his many dogs and tennis and his gentle wisdom. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the building fund of St. Luke's Church, 219 Chunns Cove Road, Asheville, NC 28805. Published by Asheville Citizen-Times on Feb. 19, 2018.

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