Clarence Sprague

Clarence Sprague, of Bacliff, Texas passed away on July 13th, 2021 at his home surrounded by loved ones. He was born on March 14, 1925 in Wewoka, Oklahoma to loving parents Delbert (Joe) and Nova Sprague before moving to East Texas where Joe worked as a blacksmith and in Kilgore oilfields. They also farmed and ran a country store at their home in Laneville, Texas.

He was a Brother of Bay City Lodge #865 AF & AM, being raised as a Master Mason on November 11, 1953.

At the age of 18 Clarence enlisted in the army after attending welding school. Sgt Sprague served as 1st Assistant to General George S. Patton and survived both the historic 1944 invasion of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge later that same year. He was awarded a marksmanship medal, a campaign medal with three bronze stars, the good conduct medal, and the World War II victory medal.

After his tenure in the army, Clarence continued his work as a welder. His career in pipeline welding allowed him to travel the US and the world, visiting all but a handful of countries. He retired at 78 to spend time doing the things he loved like fishing, hunting, reading western novels, protecting his pecan trees and spending time with his family and dogs.

Clarence was preceded in death by his parents and siblings Sanford, Jewel, William, Austin, twins Loretta and Juanita, twin brother Lawrence, twins Donald and Dolly Jo, and first wife Billie Jean Salter Sprague.

He is survived by his loving wife Juany Sprague of 41 years, their children Mark and Nova and her husband Jarrett and son Bauer. Also, the eldest son Michael and wife Solange Collileux of France, Billie Jean’s son Joel and wife Barbara, and their children Jessica, Leslie, and Sarah, and Clarence’s eldest twin daughters Jackie and Jayne, as well as several nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

WWII Veteran Who Served Under Patton in D-Day Invasion Gets Home Renovation Thanks to Combined Effort of Businesses & Nonprofits

TAMKO donates roofing for veteran’s Houston-area home after it was damaged in Hurricane Harvey.

There are not many people like Clarence Sprague left in the world. The Houston-area 94-year-old is a World War II Army combat veteran who served in both the invasion of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge. It’s an exclusive group to be in – the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs estimates only 3 percent of the 16 million American men and women who served in WWII are still living, and the group is shrinking at a rate of nearly 350 veterans per day.

Stats like that could make a person feel alone, especially when still dealing with serious home damage from Hurricane Harvey nearly two years after the storm hit, and without the physical or financial ability to fix it.

But as the 75^th anniversary of D-Day approaches on June 6, Sprague has been reminded again that he is, without a doubt, not alone. A multi-agency effort that included monetary, product and labor donations from a variety of businesses and nonprofits is finishing a major home renovation for Sprague and his wife Juanita.

“To see everyone come out to support Clarence in this way… I just told him, ‘See, you’re not alone. Look at all this. It’s all for you’,” said Debra Marshall, community outreach director for the Houston Lady Lions nonprofit organization where the renovation effort began after Marshall visited Clarence’s home and saw the conditions he was living in.

The renovations included electrical work, sheetrock, new furniture, and a full roof replacement. The roofing material was donated by major shingle manufacturer TAMKO Building Products, and the installation by Houston contractor Walton Roofing.

“This man is a hero, and it’s our great honor to offer this small ‘Thank you’ for his service by providing the roof over his head,” said David Humphreys, TAMKO president and CEO. “Honoring veterans is so deeply ingrained in our company’s culture – we support numerous veteran organizations and 15 percent of our workforce has served in the military.” This isn’t the first time TAMKO has helped with post-Hurricane Harvey disaster relief either. Immediately following the storm, TAMKO donated $100,000 to the American Red Cross for disaster relief efforts in Houston.