Obituary of William R. Sprout published in the Portland Observer, Thursday, September 2, 1920.

Headlines: William R. Sprout, Boxer and Athlete is Victim of Unconquerable Disease. Was Hurt While in Military Service. Bad Bump Received at Camp Dix, N.J., Had Fatal Effect; Is Buried in His Army Uniform. Anemia Fatal to Soldier of The Late War.

Reduced from a strong, well built, athletic type of man to nothing more than a shadow as a result of a long illness with pernicious anemia, William R. Sproat, a young man who had seen many palmy days in the boxing arena and who at one time was expected to reach the professional class, died at 1:15 Wednesday morning at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Sproat in this village.

Despite the best medical care and treatment, Mr. Sproat's
vitality had been wasting away steadily since he came here from Grand Ledge last February, and the end had been almost momentarily expected for several days. The unfortunate young sufferer had been bedfast for three months and to all appearances fully realized that the end was not far off.

Mr. Sproat's illness is attributed to a bad bump he received when he was wearing the khaki in the service of his country. He was walking around in a darkened barracks at Camp Dix, N.J., when he heard a startling noise behind him and turning quickly struck his right temple on a door sill with violent force. This occurred in the winter of 1918. From that time on he was never quite himself again, either mentally or physically, and acquaintances who had seen him within the past few months were struck with surprise at his emaciated
appearance.

Mr. Sproat was just rounding out his 29th year at the time of his death, having been born in the village of Portland October 28, 1890. He had spent practically all of his life here with the exception of the time he was in the military service during the late war.

He enlisted in 1917, at Lansing, was sent from there to the Carolinas and from there to Camp Dix, N.J. where he spent a large part of his time giving boxing instructions to the soldiers. He had been in the ring many times himself and had been victorious in many contests. Only last year he and his two brothers, Charles and Max, gave a boxing exhibition at the harvest festival given by the business men of
Portland. After receiving his honorable discharge from the military service Mr. Sprout went to Grand Ledge, where he remained until coming to Portland last February.

Surviving Mr. Sprout are the parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Sprout, two brothers, Charles and Max Sprout, and a sister, Lucilee, of Portland, a sister, Mrs. Charles Stewart, of Muir, and another sister, Mrs. Edward Sweet, of Grand
Ledge.

Funeral services were held at the Sprout home at 2:00 o'clock this (Thursday) afternoon, Rev. Floyd L. Blewfield, pastor of the M.E. church and chaplain of the Dale E. Hyland Post, American Legion, officiating. Six world war "buddies" of Mr. Sproat—members of the Hyland post—escorted the body to the grave and acted as bearers.

The young soldier was buried in his army uniform, beside the grave of his sister, Addie Sprout, who died here a number
of years ago.

Note: William is my 2nd Great grandfather,They spelled his last name as Sproat & Sprout, ChristiBre12790

William R Sprout