Donald Lionel Spurling ’52

After a two-and-one-half-year battle with cancer, Don Spurling died on March 10, 1987, in Williamsville, NY. His funeral service was held in Calvary Episcopal Church, Williamsville, and his ashes were interred in his parents' grave at St. John's Church, Pembroke, on the island of Bermuda.

Don was born Sept. 12, 1927, in Hamilton, Bermuda. He attended the Saltus Grammar School, and then served with the U.S. Army occupation of Germany. Before he entered Princeton, Don had been a student at Penn State Univ.

At Princeton, Don majored in civil engineering, and belonged to the American Society of Civil Engineers. His roommates were Lud Fowler, Dan Baker, Mac Cromwell, and Gordon Lamb. As a student, Don married Norine Vesey in the fall of 1951.

Don moved from civil engineering to quality control in the aerospace industry. He worked first for Aerojet-General, Nimbus, Calif., and later at Bell Aerospace Textron, Niagara Falls, N.Y., where he was manager of quality assurance at the time of his death.

Having planned to retire on his sixtieth birthday, Don crowded all he could into his last years. He worked almost until the time of his death, and played golf frequently the previous summer. With Norine, he traveled extensively, pursuing his strong interests in the history of WWII and in archeology. They returned to many of the sites where Don had served in the army.

Don is survived by Norine, their children, Jennifer Polnaszek, Brenda, and Craig, and four grandsons. To them we offer our deepest sympathy.

The Class of 1952