J. Sprigg Duvall IV ’51

Sprigg was born Jan. 11, 1929, in Washington, D.C., to Marguerite Chase and John S. Duvall III. He prepared at Montgomery Blair High School, majored in SPIA, joined Elm, and roomed with John Cochran, Guy Newland, and Bill Godson.

Sprigg and Eleanor (“Ellie”) Hjerpe were married in 1952. He served in the Navy as an officer for four years and was last assigned to the USS Bennington. In May 1954 an explosion on the ship killed 104, wounded 300, and left Sprigg with second- and third-degree burns over 50 percent of his body. After 14 months of convalescence, he was released in 1955.

Sprigg then commenced his lifelong career with the Maryland insurance brokerage firm of V.O. Schinnerer & Co., where he created the first integrated professional liability and risk-management program. Sprigg became CEO of Schinnerer in 1972 and retired in 1991. He served as president of the Class of 1951 from 2007 to 2011.

Sprigg died May 7, 2014, and is survived by Ellie; children Susan, Carol, Deborah Saffer, Sandra Meyer, J. Sprigg V, and Philip; six grandchildren; and his sister, Chloe Troxell. His ashes were interred in the Arlington columbarium.