Edward Spruance was the only son of Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, USN and his wife Margaret Dean Spruance. The Spruance class of 31 destroyers (DD963 - DD997) in commission from 1975-2005 was named in honor of the elder Spruance. These were the primary destroyers of the Navy during that time and built to replace the scores of WWII era Allen M. Sumner and Gearing-class destroyers.
Captain Spruance was born 24 October 1915 at Norfolk, Virginia. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, class of 1937, he was a submariner during WWII and commanded USS LIONFISH. Spruance was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry while serving as approach officer aboard the submarine USS TAMBOR during the war. Following V-J Day, he was skipper of a captured Japanese "I" boat during the occupation of Japan. Spruance married Josephine Snover Selden on November 15, 1940, at Portsmouth, NH. They had two children, Raymond A. Spruance, II and Ellen. Spruance was promoted to his final rank of captain on July 1, 1955 and retired from the Navy on June 30, 1967 with 30 years active duty.
As a civilian, at the time of his death almost two years later at the age of 53, Edward Spruance was working as a property assessor for Marin County, California and residing in San Rafael. Spruance was one of two people to die from injuries in a six-vehicle crash on the night of May 5, 1969. Spruance, who was critically injured, died from his injuries at Marin General Hospital on May 30, 1969. At the time of the accident for unknown reason, Spruance was driving his van southbound in the northbound lanes of the 101 freeway about three miles north of the Manuel T. Freitas overpass south of Novato at 1045 pm. The other person killed was Roman Catholic Brother Roger Kyran Aviani, age 40 and a native of San Francisco, who was the Art Director at St. Mary's College in Moraga, California. Brother Kyran died instantly when his van was struck head-on by Spruance's vehicle. Brother Kyran was mourned by the college community, which dedicated the Brother Kyran Aviani Art Audio-Visual Room to his memory.
Captain Spruance was born 24 October 1915 at Norfolk, Virginia. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, class of 1937, he was a submariner during WWII and commanded USS LIONFISH. Spruance was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry while serving as approach officer aboard the submarine USS TAMBOR during the war. Following V-J Day, he was skipper of a captured Japanese "I" boat during the occupation of Japan. Spruance married Josephine Snover Selden on November 15, 1940, at Portsmouth, NH. They had two children, Raymond A. Spruance, II and Ellen. Spruance was promoted to his final rank of captain on July 1, 1955 and retired from the Navy on June 30, 1967 with 30 years active duty.
As a civilian, at the time of his death almost two years later at the age of 53, Edward Spruance was working as a property assessor for Marin County, California and residing in San Rafael. Spruance was one of two people to die from injuries in a six-vehicle crash on the night of May 5, 1969. Spruance, who was critically injured, died from his injuries at Marin General Hospital on May 30, 1969. At the time of the accident for unknown reason, Spruance was driving his van southbound in the northbound lanes of the 101 freeway about three miles north of the Manuel T. Freitas overpass south of Novato at 1045 pm. The other person killed was Roman Catholic Brother Roger Kyran Aviani, age 40 and a native of San Francisco, who was the Art Director at St. Mary's College in Moraga, California. Brother Kyran died instantly when his van was struck head-on by Spruance's vehicle. Brother Kyran was mourned by the college community, which dedicated the Brother Kyran Aviani Art Audio-Visual Room to his memory.
Edward Spruance was the only son of Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, USN and his wife Margaret Dean Spruance. The Spruance class of 31 destroyers (DD963 - DD997) in commission from 1975-2005 was named in honor of the elder Spruance. These were the primary destroyers of the Navy during that time and built to replace the scores of WWII era Allen M. Sumner and Gearing-class destroyers.
Captain Spruance was born 24 October 1915 at Norfolk, Virginia. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, class of 1937, he was a submariner during WWII and commanded USS LIONFISH. Spruance was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry while serving as approach officer aboard the submarine USS TAMBOR during the war. Following V-J Day, he was skipper of a captured Japanese "I" boat during the occupation of Japan. Spruance married Josephine Snover Selden on November 15, 1940, at Portsmouth, NH. They had two children, Raymond A. Spruance, II and Ellen. Spruance was promoted to his final rank of captain on July 1, 1955 and retired from the Navy on June 30, 1967 with 30 years active duty.
As a civilian, at the time of his death almost two years later at the age of 53, Edward Spruance was working as a property assessor for Marin County, California and residing in San Rafael. Spruance was one of two people to die from injuries in a six-vehicle crash on the night of May 5, 1969. Spruance, who was critically injured, died from his injuries at Marin General Hospital on May 30, 1969. At the time of the accident for unknown reason, Spruance was driving his van southbound in the northbound lanes of the 101 freeway about three miles north of the Manuel T. Freitas overpass south of Novato at 1045 pm. The other person killed was Roman Catholic Brother Roger Kyran Aviani, age 40 and a native of San Francisco, who was the Art Director at St. Mary's College in Moraga, California. Brother Kyran died instantly when his van was struck head-on by Spruance's vehicle. Brother Kyran was mourned by the college community, which dedicated the Brother Kyran Aviani Art Audio-Visual Room to his memory.
Captain Spruance was born 24 October 1915 at Norfolk, Virginia. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, class of 1937, he was a submariner during WWII and commanded USS LIONFISH. Spruance was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry while serving as approach officer aboard the submarine USS TAMBOR during the war. Following V-J Day, he was skipper of a captured Japanese "I" boat during the occupation of Japan. Spruance married Josephine Snover Selden on November 15, 1940, at Portsmouth, NH. They had two children, Raymond A. Spruance, II and Ellen. Spruance was promoted to his final rank of captain on July 1, 1955 and retired from the Navy on June 30, 1967 with 30 years active duty.
As a civilian, at the time of his death almost two years later at the age of 53, Edward Spruance was working as a property assessor for Marin County, California and residing in San Rafael. Spruance was one of two people to die from injuries in a six-vehicle crash on the night of May 5, 1969. Spruance, who was critically injured, died from his injuries at Marin General Hospital on May 30, 1969. At the time of the accident for unknown reason, Spruance was driving his van southbound in the northbound lanes of the 101 freeway about three miles north of the Manuel T. Freitas overpass south of Novato at 1045 pm. The other person killed was Roman Catholic Brother Roger Kyran Aviani, age 40 and a native of San Francisco, who was the Art Director at St. Mary's College in Moraga, California. Brother Kyran died instantly when his van was struck head-on by Spruance's vehicle. Brother Kyran was mourned by the college community, which dedicated the Brother Kyran Aviani Art Audio-Visual Room to his memory.
Gravesite Details
Ref: Cemetery Records
