September 12, 2019
Bobby (Bob) Lee Spann, Sr., was born March 21, 1938, to O. B. and Virgie Gillon Spann. He graduated Friendship High School in 1957 and Freed-Hardeman College (FHC) in 1959. He was married to Betty Ann Tritt Spann in a sunrise wedding, Monday, June 8, 1959, at the Crossroads church of Christ. They celebrated 60 years together on June 8, 2019.
Bob is preceded in death by his parents and brother, Jerry Wayne Spann (Vicki). Survived by wife, Ann, and sons David Wayne Spann (Colleen), Bobby Lee Spann, Jr. (Jean-Marie), and Daniel Jerome Spann (Amy), granddaughter Lauren Hailey Spann, grandsons Lee Lawson Spann and Brady Lawson Spann, and many nieces and nephews.
Bob graduated from David Lipscomb College in 1961. He and Ann then moved to Murfreesboro where he preached for Sharpsville church of Christ and taught school in Smyrna. While a student at FHC, Bob preached at Crossroads, Kenton, and Gadsden. Other churches where he served as minister include: Rockwood, Brownsville, Smithville, Brentwood Hills and Shelby Ave. in Nashville, Jones Chapel in Williamson County, and lastly his home church at Chestnut Bluff.
Bob obtained a master’s degree in psychology from the University of Tennessee and an Education Specialist degree from Tennessee Tech. Bob served the education community in many areas by teaching Special Education at Smyrna, serving as Headmaster of Tennessee Academy in Brownsville and Center Hill Academy in Smithville, and Assistant Principal for David Lipscomb High School. Bob also served as Principal for the school at Spring Hill Children’s Home, Tennessee Preparatory School and the school at Lois DeBerry Special Needs Facility at Riverbend in Nashville.
Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 PM on Friday, September 13, 2019 at Ronk Funeral Home in Alamo, TN and at 10:00 AM Saturday, September 14, 2019.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM at Ronk Funeral Home in Alamo, TN with burial to follow at Friendship City Cemetery in Friendship, TN.
Visitation will also be conducted from 2:00 to 4:00 PM, Sunday, September 15, 2019 at Hillsboro church of Christ in Nashville.
Brother Larry Harper, minister at Cairo church of Christ, will give the eulogy. Pallbearers include: Harvey and Tim Gillon, Dennis and Perry Jenkins, Carl and Hugh Allen Ellington. Honorary pallbearers include: Lauren Hailey Spann, Lee Lawson Spann, Brady Lawson Spann, Diana Lee Spann and other nieces and nephews.