In memory of Robert G. Spare
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d.../BobSpare1.jpg Has anybody here seen my old friend Bob? Can you tell me where he’s gone? “I’ve seen a lot of people, but the good they die young, I just looked around and Bob was gone.”
Robert (Bob #1) Spare and I had a very unique relationship. I first heard of him on a fishing USA forum and it was about six months after my own father passed. On that forum he always had a virtual cup of coffee and perhaps some pastry for anyone who stopped by the forum. That was eight years ago. Bob received a lot of hate emails and negative posts on his forum about his friendship with a black man. Bob didn’t care. If you were his friend then nothing else mattered. About seven years ago he started to call me “his son” on the forums and I affectionately called him dad. This really infuriated the racist haters out there but again Bob did not care. He assigned David Shands “G” the task of helping police the forums and deleting all the racial slurs and posts. Some began to attack Bob on a daily basis with emails to his home and business accounts. Bob stood his ground. This went on from 2005 until the middle part of August 2012. Bob stood his ground and defended his friendship with me and I continued to respect him as a father figure to me.
I knew Bob shared many fantastic qualities. He was always looking for “Spare” parts to make something or be creative in the garden. Whether it was growing tomatoes upside down in buckets or tinkering with underwater fishing lights, Bob was a very talented man. We shared many stories and phone calls about what we both were tinkering with or trying to improve on for the sport of fishing. His greatest invention in my eyes was the Reel-lites that are fantastic for bringing in the bait fish which will bring in the crappies to be caught by you. Bob was more than just an inventor. His two greatest attributes were his faith in God and his love for his wife Judy. They were in every conversation we had. During his illness he kept the faith often telling me that God is not finished with me yet. There was something else he had to do for God.
1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18. “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
That is the kind of man that Bob #1 was to me. I cannot speak for you, but you are welcome to post your opinions, photos and thoughts on this memorial thread or on this notification thread http://www.crappie.com/crappie/main-...ast-night.html for Mr. Robert Spare.
This is the kind of man that Bob #1 was to me. He was a father figure, kind, humble, just and honest. I wrote this poem during the civil rights era. You know, this really , to me, describes Bob. He was a man who listened and who cared.
Is America listening now?
Someone has to lead the way, and keep our solemn vow.
America says “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”
Meanwhile I see too much grief and sadness.
Energy, inflation, and unemployment lines
Riots in schools are signs of the times.
Income taxes are going higher and higher.
Children’s homes are being destroyed by the fire.
America is stuck in the muck and the mire!
Little is being done to right these wrongs.
Individuals have forgotten their own freedom songs.
Start to get involved and raise a fuss
Till America cares about the rest of us.
Everyone…let’s raise our voice and speak.
No more turning of the other cheek.
Individuals united can never be weak.
Now is the time to take our stand. We’ve
Got to make America a better land.
Robert G. Spare, 77, passed away Saturday, November 10, 2012 at his home in Ft. Wayne. Born in Howell, MI, Bob served in the Air Force as a Telecommunications Officer. He retired from Global Tool & Automation and owned, Reel-Lites LLC. He was a member of St. Vincent dePaul Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, Aero Space Union and former member of the Elks.
He is survived by his wife, Judith; sons, David (Angie) and Douglas (Lisa) both of Ft. Wayne; Deb (Bruce) Lane of Churubusco, IN, Kathy (Dave) Markley and Diane Prater both of Ft. Wayne, 19 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and brothers, Richard (Mary Eve) of Brighton, MI and Ronald of FL. Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Willard and Helen; and a grandson.
Mass of Christian Burial is 10:30 am, Thursday, November 15, 2012 at St. Vincent dePaul Catholic Church, 1502 E. Wallen Rd with calling one hour prior. Calling also from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 pm Wednesday at D.O. McComb and Sons Pine Valley Park Funeral Home, 1320 East Dupont Rd. with a Vigil at 3:30 pm. Memorials to American Diabetes Association, Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana or to the church. To sign the online guest book, go to D O McComb & Sons Funeral Homes Cremation and Obituary Fort Wayne.
