LT COL Herbert L. Spear, USAF (Ret)'s Obituary
LT COL Herbert L. Spear, USAF (Ret) 91, passed away April 22, 2017. LT COL Spear retired after 27 years of service in the US Air Force; serving in WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam War. He flew with the Air Transport Command in Italy during World War II. He went on to fly missions during the Berlin Airlift. In the Korean War, LT COL Spear was a navigator in a B-26 night bomber. He completed 50 missions. He also helped fly out 65 injured persons in a very crowded DC-130 following an earthquake in Agadir, Morocco. LT COL Spear received the Air Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, United Nations Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and Armed Forces Reserve Medal. After retirement, he returned with his family to Memphis and enrolled at Memphis State University and earned his Master’s Degree in teaching. He taught high school math for 20 years, mostly at SBEC. LT COL Spear was preceded in death by his brother, Fred Spear, Jr. and sister, Vivian Strawn. He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Shirley Marie Spear; sons, Richard L. Spear and David G. Spear (Jacqueline); grandchildren, James R. Spear, Britney N. Spear, and Nicholas R. Spear; and great grandchildren, Tatum and Kellen Spear. The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. until his service begins at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 25 at Emmanuel United Methodist Church, 2404 Kirby Rd. Interment with military honors will immediately follow at Memorial Park Cemetery.Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Ave., Memphis, TN 38119 “Celebrating Life… Behind the Stone Wall”
What’s your fondest memory of COL?
What’s a lesson you learned from COL?
Share a story where COL's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with COL you’ll never forget.
How did COL make you smile?