1952-2024
ames “Jim” Ray Spain, 72, of Ashdown, Arkansas, passed away peacefully at his home with his loving family by his side on Monday, October 21, 2024, after a lengthy battle with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP).
He was born January 21, 1952, in Camden, Arkansas, the first child of James Thomas “JT” Spain and Maurice Elder Spain. Growing up in Pine Bluff with younger sisters Deana and Cathy, Jim was active in First United Methodist Church and enjoyed playing Little League baseball, so much so that when he got older, his first job was groundskeeper at Ed Brown Field, and he eventually became an umpire officiating all over Arkansas for many years.
After graduating from Pine Bluff High School in 1970, he attended the State College of Arkansas (SCA, now UCA) in Conway. While there as a physician assistant major, he worked as a trainer and manager for the Bears football and track teams where he became known as “Doc Spain.” He completed 4 years of college and returned home where he began work with Lusby Ambulance Service as an EMT, provided medical services to the inmates at Tucker prison, and became Jefferson County Deputy Coroner in the late 1970s. He began working in the paper industry in the early 1980s, first as a chemical salesman for DuBois Chemicals, then as a regional salesman for JWI Group selling wet felt to mills in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Mississippi. He was a jack of all trades and always demonstrated impeccable work ethic no matter what the job. Jim was an extremely hard worker and took great pride in providing for his family “all of their needs and most of their wants.”
Jim was an avid outdoorsman. He enjoyed hunting at Tates Bluff Deer Camp and fishing on White Oak Lake, but his favorite pastime was golfing. His best times were his golfing tournaments and trips with his “brothers from another mother” Stan and Louis Lee. He was a good friend to everyone, treated everyone with respect, and wherever he was, there was also laughter.
On June 6, 1981, Jim made the best decision of his life to marry Virginia Shepherd, although he later confessed, he was completely terrified because he understood the level of commitment and knew he was taking on the biggest responsibility of his life. Although he was definitely a jokester, he took the most important things in life very seriously. He was honest and loyal. Always a man with integrity, he looked you in the eye with a firm handshake and believed if you didn’t have your word, you had nothing. These are values he was sure to instill in his children.
Of all his accomplishments, jobs and titles, his greatest pride was being “Grumps” to his grandchildren. In 2011, after the arrival of his first “little buddy”, he became full-time daycare for grandson Andrew. They quickly became best friends watching Baby First TV, eating lots of cookies, and taking field trips to local businesses. Grumps was Andrew’s first ever friend. In 2020, “Mama Gin” retired and joined the daycare as she and Grumps cared for grandsons Eason and Jaxon, both born in 2020, then sweet granddaughter Josie Bear in 2022.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents Harvey Bernard and Geneva Bettis Elder and Roy Castle and Mary Ruie McNeil Spain, his parents JT and Maurice, and sister Deana Kay Spain.
He is survived by his devoted and loving wife of 43 years, Virginia Shepherd Spain, sister and brother-in-law, Cathy and Rick Glover, daughter Suzanne Spain Ward, son and daughter-in-law Jim and Jeanne Spain, daughter and son-in-law Caroline and Levi Runyan, and grandchildren Andrew Thomas Ward, Eason James Spain, Jaxon James Runyan and Josie Shepherd Runyan, nieces and nephews.
A graveside service will be held at Graceland Cemetery in Pine Bluff, AR on Thursday, October 24, 2024 at 3 p.m. with Brother Rick Glover officiating by Fuller Hale-South Funeral Services.
Memorials may be made to Cure PSP at www.psp.org.
