Charles N. Spears

Charles N. Spears, age 74, of Palmyra, MO, passed away Thursday, May 14, 2015, at Harry S. Truman Veterans Hospital in Columbia, MO.

He was born July 26, 1940, in Mooresville, MO, the son of Walter F. Spears and Virginia Lee McCarthy Spears. He was united in marriage to Diana Kay Dodge in 1964.

Charles is survived by three children, Lance Spears and wife Victoria of Dewey, AZ, Toni Spears-Ladage and husband Steven of Orlando, FL and Christina Dodson of Olathe, KS; four grandchildren, Ben Spears of Prescott Valley, AZ, Rachel Spears of Cornville, AZ, Tyler Ladage of Orlando, FL and Dustin Ladage of St. Charles, MO; three sisters, Janet Hill and husband Robert of Franklin, WV, Linda Dobyns of Shelbina, MO and Virginia Yount and husband Charles of Quincy, IL; two brothers, Frank Spears of Shelbina, MO and Michael Spears of Carondelet, IL and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Charles was a 1959 graduate of Shelbina High School and attended Kirksville State Teachers College. He entered the United States Navy and served on the maiden voyage of the Benjamin Franklin Nuclear Submarine. He earned his electricians certificate while in the Navy. After receiving his honorable discharge from the Navy he was employed as an electrician at Eastman Kodak Co. in St. Louis, MO. He was a Catholic by faith. Charles enjoyed hunting, fishing, target shooting, collecting guns, traveling, boating, reading and spending time with family and friends.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am on Tuesday, May 19, 2015, at the Greening-Eagan-Hayes Funeral Home in Shelbina, MO, with burial to follow at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Jacksonville, MO. Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 pm on Monday, May 18, 2015. Memorials may be made to the Disabled American Veterans.