SFC (Ret) George O. Spain Jr.
Posted: Saturday, July 26, 2008
SFC (Ret) George O. Spain, Jr., 56, of Sioux City passed away peacefully, Thursday, July 24, 2008, at his residence with family around him following a courageous battle with brain cancer.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday at First Lutheran Church, Kingsley, Iowa, with the Rev. Duane Miesner officiating. Burial will be in Silver Ridge Cemetery, Ponca, Neb., with a military graveside service conducted by Wasmer American Legion Post 241 of Le Mars, Iowa. Visitation begins at 3 p.m. Sunday, with the family present from 4 to 7 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m. all at the church. The Rohde Funeral Home, Kingsley, Iowa, is handling all funeral arrangements.
George was born Aug. 7, 1951, in Giddings, Texas, to George and Velma (Thornton) Spain. He was baptized July 5, 1964. On Sept. 1, 1984, he married Kim Abbott in Kingsley. They made their home around the world. George in 1970 had enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of 17 with his father's signature. He had been stationed in Korea, Fort Hood, Texas; Sam Houston, Texas; Darmstadt, West Germany; Kaiserslautern, West Germany; the Pentagon; Heidelberg, West Germany; Fort McClellan, Ala.; Munich, West Germany; and his last duty station was Fort Sam Houston. Upon his retirement Feb. 1, 1993, George and Kim moved to Sioux City where George was employed with Bomgaars. He then went to work at Wells Dairy and retired May 12, 2008.
He enjoyed fishing with any of his family, from a pond, tank, freshwater, deep sea fishing, shoreline or from a boat. He also loved bull riding, and bareback riding while in the military on weekends in Germany and Alabama. He gave up this passion for another steel horse, his Dyna Wide Glide. He liked riding with his brother and sisters-in-law, going to Texas and riding the Hill Country to Luckenbach and Bandera. He went to one NASCAR Race and became an addict of NASCAR racing. He was a newly-confirmed member of First Lutheran Church, Kingsley. He was also a member of the Wasmer American Legion Post 241, and the American Legion Riders 241 of Le Mars. George's favorite colors were red, white, blue, orange and black.
He is survived by his wife, Kim Spain of Sioux City; three daughters, Kimberly Pearson and James Barrington of Beau Kiss, Texas, Jennifer (Michael) Chastain of Hutton, Texas, and Christie Spain of Raleigh, N.C.; four grandchildren, Dylan Clevenger, Jackie and Katie Chastain and Michael Barfield; his mother, Velma (Johnny) Pace; a brother, Howard Spain all of Pflugerville, Texas; stepbrothers, Ron (Debra) Pace, Brian (Janice) Pace all of Texas, stepsister, Carol (Anh) Le of Portland, Ore.; maternal grandmother, Dorothy Rogers of Giddings, Texas; mother-in-law, Norma Abbott of Kingsley; sisters-in-law, Lori (Bob) Smith of Jefferson, Iowa, Janet (Art) Otto of Kingsley; nephews and nieces, James and Sarah Pace, Audrey Ann Le, Jason (Erica) Smith, Jacque Smith, Brett Herbold, Keil Otto, Konner Otto, Travis Anderson, Brandon Anderson, Melony Otto, great nieces, Cheyenne, Brooklyn and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his father, George O. Spain; paternal grandparents, George O. Spain and Elsie Baccus; maternal grandfather, Ray Thornton; uncles. Roland (Cotton) Lovelace, Gene Thornton and Lawrence Thornton; aunt, Lucille Thompson; father-in-law, Wayne B. Abbott; brother-in-law, Rick Abbott; and a loving Springer Spaniel, Katie.
Pallbearers will be Jason Smith, Brett Herbold, Travis Anderson, Brandon Anderson, Ralf Klopfer, SFC (Ret) Frank Quirroz, Rob Franck and James Barrington.
Honorary pallbearers are grandchildren, godsons and nephews, Kiel Otto, Konner Otto; nephews, Travis Anderson, Brandon Anderson; nieces, Jacque Smith, Erica Smith, Melony Otto; three girlfriends, Dawn Kessenich, Laura Sprague, Erin Muecke; friends, Rick Robinson, David Creswell, Mary Lindsey, Clarence Habhegger; Wells' friends, Kay Grunden, Helen Pearson, Randy and Renee Persinger, Tonya Franck, Aimie Postma, Darin and Amy Noyes; American Legion Riders with Karen Paulson, Chris and Dagmar Radloff, Richard Gettner, Tommy and Dawn Even as representatives, Motorcycle Weekend Warriors; Art and Janet Otto, Bob and Lori Smith, Clint and Leslie Chapman, Ricky and Linda Hare, Dick and Peggy Moranville and John Anderson.
Honorary pallbearers are grandchildren, godsons and nephews, Kiel Otto, Konner Otto; nephews, Travis Anderson, Brandon Anderson; nieces, Jacque Smith, Erica Smith, Melony Otto; three girlfriends, Dawn Kessenich, Laura Sprague, Erin Muecke; friends, Rick Robinson, David Creswell, Mary Lindsey, Clarence Habhegger; Wells' friends, Kay Grunden, Helen Pearson, Randy and Renee Persinger, Tonya Franck, Aimie Postma, Darin and Amy Noyes; American Legion Riders with Karen Paulson, Chris and Dagmar Radloff, Richard Gettner, Tommy and Dawn Even as representatives, Motorcycle Weekend Warriors; Art and Janet Otto, Bob and Lori Smith, Clint and Leslie Chapman, Ricky and Linda Hare, Dick and Peggy Moranville and John Anderson.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday at First Lutheran Church, Kingsley, Iowa, with the Rev. Duane Miesner officiating. Burial will be in Silver Ridge Cemetery, Ponca, Neb., with a military graveside service conducted by Wasmer American Legion Post 241 of Le Mars, Iowa. Visitation begins at 3 p.m. Sunday, with the family present from 4 to 7 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m. all at the church. The Rohde Funeral Home, Kingsley, Iowa, is handling all funeral arrangements.
George was born Aug. 7, 1951, in Giddings, Texas, to George and Velma (Thornton) Spain. He was baptized July 5, 1964. On Sept. 1, 1984, he married Kim Abbott in Kingsley. They made their home around the world. George in 1970 had enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of 17 with his father's signature. He had been stationed in Korea, Fort Hood, Texas; Sam Houston, Texas; Darmstadt, West Germany; Kaiserslautern, West Germany; the Pentagon; Heidelberg, West Germany; Fort McClellan, Ala.; Munich, West Germany; and his last duty station was Fort Sam Houston. Upon his retirement Feb. 1, 1993, George and Kim moved to Sioux City where George was employed with Bomgaars. He then went to work at Wells Dairy and retired May 12, 2008.
He enjoyed fishing with any of his family, from a pond, tank, freshwater, deep sea fishing, shoreline or from a boat. He also loved bull riding, and bareback riding while in the military on weekends in Germany and Alabama. He gave up this passion for another steel horse, his Dyna Wide Glide. He liked riding with his brother and sisters-in-law, going to Texas and riding the Hill Country to Luckenbach and Bandera. He went to one NASCAR Race and became an addict of NASCAR racing. He was a newly-confirmed member of First Lutheran Church, Kingsley. He was also a member of the Wasmer American Legion Post 241, and the American Legion Riders 241 of Le Mars. George's favorite colors were red, white, blue, orange and black.
He is survived by his wife, Kim Spain of Sioux City; three daughters, Kimberly Pearson and James Barrington of Beau Kiss, Texas, Jennifer (Michael) Chastain of Hutton, Texas, and Christie Spain of Raleigh, N.C.; four grandchildren, Dylan Clevenger, Jackie and Katie Chastain and Michael Barfield; his mother, Velma (Johnny) Pace; a brother, Howard Spain all of Pflugerville, Texas; stepbrothers, Ron (Debra) Pace, Brian (Janice) Pace all of Texas, stepsister, Carol (Anh) Le of Portland, Ore.; maternal grandmother, Dorothy Rogers of Giddings, Texas; mother-in-law, Norma Abbott of Kingsley; sisters-in-law, Lori (Bob) Smith of Jefferson, Iowa, Janet (Art) Otto of Kingsley; nephews and nieces, James and Sarah Pace, Audrey Ann Le, Jason (Erica) Smith, Jacque Smith, Brett Herbold, Keil Otto, Konner Otto, Travis Anderson, Brandon Anderson, Melony Otto, great nieces, Cheyenne, Brooklyn and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his father, George O. Spain; paternal grandparents, George O. Spain and Elsie Baccus; maternal grandfather, Ray Thornton; uncles. Roland (Cotton) Lovelace, Gene Thornton and Lawrence Thornton; aunt, Lucille Thompson; father-in-law, Wayne B. Abbott; brother-in-law, Rick Abbott; and a loving Springer Spaniel, Katie.
Pallbearers will be Jason Smith, Brett Herbold, Travis Anderson, Brandon Anderson, Ralf Klopfer, SFC (Ret) Frank Quirroz, Rob Franck and James Barrington.
Honorary pallbearers are grandchildren, godsons and nephews, Kiel Otto, Konner Otto; nephews, Travis Anderson, Brandon Anderson; nieces, Jacque Smith, Erica Smith, Melony Otto; three girlfriends, Dawn Kessenich, Laura Sprague, Erin Muecke; friends, Rick Robinson, David Creswell, Mary Lindsey, Clarence Habhegger; Wells' friends, Kay Grunden, Helen Pearson, Randy and Renee Persinger, Tonya Franck, Aimie Postma, Darin and Amy Noyes; American Legion Riders with Karen Paulson, Chris and Dagmar Radloff, Richard Gettner, Tommy and Dawn Even as representatives, Motorcycle Weekend Warriors; Art and Janet Otto, Bob and Lori Smith, Clint and Leslie Chapman, Ricky and Linda Hare, Dick and Peggy Moranville and John Anderson.
Honorary pallbearers are grandchildren, godsons and nephews, Kiel Otto, Konner Otto; nephews, Travis Anderson, Brandon Anderson; nieces, Jacque Smith, Erica Smith, Melony Otto; three girlfriends, Dawn Kessenich, Laura Sprague, Erin Muecke; friends, Rick Robinson, David Creswell, Mary Lindsey, Clarence Habhegger; Wells' friends, Kay Grunden, Helen Pearson, Randy and Renee Persinger, Tonya Franck, Aimie Postma, Darin and Amy Noyes; American Legion Riders with Karen Paulson, Chris and Dagmar Radloff, Richard Gettner, Tommy and Dawn Even as representatives, Motorcycle Weekend Warriors; Art and Janet Otto, Bob and Lori Smith, Clint and Leslie Chapman, Ricky and Linda Hare, Dick and Peggy Moranville and John Anderson.
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