Byron McSpadden, 1917-2011
02-03-2012The Rev. Byron Luster McSpadden, 94, passed away Dec. 23, 2011, at a nursing home in Batesville.
He was born Sept. 6, 1917, at Bethesda, Ark., to George W. and Hattie Love McSpadden. During his young adult life he worked on the railroad and as a farmer and woodsman. After hearing the call to preach the gospel, he studied at Arkansas College (now Lyon College) and graduated from Hendrix College. He completed the Course of Study School and was ordained an elder in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. He served as pastor to many churches throughout the North Arkansas Conference of the UMC, including Elmo, Oil Trough, Charlotte Circuit, Greenbrier, Ola, Mountain Home Parish, Trumann, Corning, Jacksonville, Marked Tree, Forrest City, North Little Rock Gardner, Heber Springs, Moorefield and Cushman.
After he retired, he and his wife, Irene Brightwell McSpadden, lived in Batesville in a house he had built. They worshiped faithfully at Central Avenue UMC in Batesville. In 2001, they celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary.
In addition to serving as a pastor, his great love was gardening. While he resided at Wildewood Independent Living, he put in many hours of labor to keep that garden going. He also enjoyed woodworking, and used a lathe to turn vases from many varieties of wood. When he had to give up his lathe, he began to create wooden walking staffs. He donated hundreds of them to be sold at Mount Eagle Christian Center, Wayland Springs Camp and the Old Independence Museum as fund-raisers for those organizations.
He was predeceased by his parents, his wife, brothers and sisters. He is survived by Larry McSpadden and his wife, Ginny; Lynn McSpadden and his wife, Mary Catherine, all of Mountain View; one grandson, Brad McSpadden and his wife, Tasha; two step-grandchildren, Katie and Jim Hurley; four great-grandchildren; three step-great-grandchildren; two sisters-in-law; a brother-in-law; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
The family offers deep gratitude to those who cared for Byron at Wildewood, at Eagle Mountain Assisted Living and especially at Woodlawn Nursing Home.
Graveside services were held Tuesday, Dec. 27 at the Bethesda Campground Cemetery with the Rev. Steve Wingo officiating. A memorial service followed on Monday, Jan. 2, 2012, at Central Avenue UMC with the Rev. Paul Seay officiating, assisted by the Revs. Ed Matthews and Steve Wingo.
The family requests no flowers, and that memorial donations be made instead to Methodist Family Health System, 1600 Aldersgate Rd., # 200, Little Rock, AR 72205; Mount Eagle Christian Center, 935 Beal Rd., Clinton, AR 72031; or Old Independence Regional Museum, 380 S. 9th St., Batesville, AR 72501.
