Richard J Spavins

Richard was, above all else, an engineer. From an early age, he was drawn to how things worked—spending time around military bases as a child and later helping telephone engineers in Eclectic while still in school. Though raised on a farm, he was never meant to be a farmer. As a teenager, he built a full three-phase power line from his family’s farm to his neighbor, Frank Lambrecht, who was the brother he never had and shared that same love for Engineering. That curiosity and drive to understand systems would define the rest of his life.

He attended Auburn University, where he earned a degree in Electrical Engineering in just three years. He went on to become a licensed Professional Engineer in both Alabama and Louisiana. Despite losing function in one eye at birth, he never let it slow him down and was on the Auburn competitive shooting team and always kept a love for guns.

Richard spent 20 years with Alabama Power, where he worked in the western division overseeing communications systems. He later transitioned into the emerging world of wireless communications, contributing to multiple startups and playing a key role in the initial buildout of PowerTel, which later became T-Mobile in Alabama. Over the course of his career, he worked across IP networks, fiber optics, microwave, broadcast systems, and all kinds of telecommunications infrastructure. He was known as the “technical expert of everything”—the person others turned to when no one else had the answer.

His depth and breadth of engineering knowledge were remarkable. He had an extraordinary memory and could often recall complex circuit designs from memory to troubleshoot problems without reference materials. But more than his technical ability, he was known for his generosity. Richard was a friend to everyone and was always willing to give his time and knowledge freely, never expecting anything in return. To many, he was simply “technical support”—always there when needed.

Richard was also a man of habit and unmistakable character. He was rarely seen without his khaki pants, white or khaki short-sleeve shirt, sunglasses, and bucket hat—regardless of the occasion or the weather. He always wore his high-top lace-up “lineman’s” work boots, even at the beach, and would often joke that his bare feet had never touched the grass and never would.

In the later years of his career, Richard returned to his roots in broadcast engineering, working with iHeartMedia. Broadcast Engineering had been a lifelong passion, maintaining equipment and keeping transmitters running. True to his nature, he continued working full-time until his death. He often said he would work for as long as he lived and he accomplished that.

Richard was an only child. In 1980, he married Mary Elizabeth (Betty) Spavins, and her children, Beth Albright Ishler and Bruce Albright, became his own.

Richard formed a lifelong bond with his daughter, Beth. From the time they first met. She saw him on the floor repairing a washing machine and he became a steady presence in her life. Though an engineer to his core, he provided guidance, support, and stability through every stage of her life, always showing up when it mattered most. He shared in her love of radio, supported her ambitions, and remained closely involved in her life and work in the years that followed.

To Bruce, Richard was a mentor, teacher, and father in every sense of the word. Beginning at age 15, Bruce worked alongside him, learning everything from tower construction and industrial electrical systems to telecommunications and network engineering. After earning his own degree in Electrical Engineering, Bruce joined Richard in the wireless industry, building a career rooted in the work ethic, discipline, and knowledge that Richard instilled in him. They had daily discussions on the latest engineering advancements, politics or most everything else and Richard was Bruce’s “Phone-a-friend” when he needed to discuss anything or needed expert advice.

After the passing of his wife, Mary Elizabeth (Betty) Spavins, Richard formed a close and meaningful relationship with Lanay Stacey, who shared the last eight years of his life with him. She was his constant companion and while they never married, he was very happy in the life they shared with their two dogs, Tribble and Oakley.

Richard is survived by Lanay Stacey; his children, Beth Albright Ishler and her husband Ted, and Bruce Albright and his wife Janelle; as well as three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; and many friends and colleagues whose lives he impacted. He was preceded in death by his parents, Mary and John Spavins, and his wife, Mary Elizabeth (Betty) Spavins.

Richard’s legacy lives on not only in the systems he built and maintained, but in the people he taught, helped, and inspired throughout his life.

A Celebration of Life will be held May 17th. Location to be announced.