Franklin Holloway Spain, Jr. was born in Middleburg, NC on August 22, 1924, to Franklin Holloway Spain and Mattie Watkins Spain and passed away on April 16, 2018. He grew up on the family farm during the Depression, milking cows and working in tobacco. He rode his horse Colonel to Middleburg School, where shop classes with Mr. Blum inspired him to become a teacher. He enrolled in NC State
High University to major in agricultural sciences. But America’s entry into World War II put those plans on hold.
Frank enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1943. He was trained as a bombardier for both B-17s and B-29s, serving as a Second Lieutenant in the 13th and then the 20th, Wings. He never had to use those skills. The War ended just as his crew was to be deployed. He headed back to NC State to resume studies, this time courtesy of the GI Bill, and earned his Bachelor’s in Agricultural Education. While working on his Master’s degree in Agricultural Education, Frank was employed as the university’s Assistant Director of Admissions and Assistant Registrar. He then moved to Gainesville to complete his Doctorate in Education at the University of Florida. His wife Jean typed his dissertation and their new daughter Daphne provided distractions from academic deadlines.
When Kentucky Wesleyan College offered Frank the position of Registrar, he moved his family, which now included Marsha, to Owensboro KY. After six years there, the University of South Florida in Tampa recruited him in 1959 to become their first Director of Admissions and Registrar. He was soon promoted to Director of Community College Relations, where he and his assistant Betty Gillies forged a strong relationship between USF and every community college in the state. Their perseverance over many years resulted in significant growth in students transferring to USF. Both Betty and Frank retired in 1991.
Frank and his second wife Marion moved to Richlands in 1999. After her death, Betty and Frank were reunited. They demonstrated their continuing commitment to USF, and to transfer students, by establishing a scholarship honoring their time at USF. If interested in making a contribution, the family requests donations to the Frank H. Spain and Betty E. Gillies Community College Transfer Scholarship at the University of South Florida.
Frank is pre-deceased by first wife Jean Louise Satterwhite, second wife Marion Beers Godwin and his soul mate, Betty E. Gillies; his parents; and his brothers William and Robert Spain. He is survived by daughters Daphne Spain and Marsha Spain Fuller, Marsha’s husband Jeff, grandsons Jet and his wife Karli, and Steven and his wife Michelle. Frank also had two great-grandsons, Chase and Wes Fuller (Jet & Karli). In addition to his immediate family, he is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews, as well as Betty’s daughters Sharon and Barbara and her son Keith.
The family expresses deep appreciation for Mary, Sommer, Nicole and Bibba, as well as the staff at Autumn Village in Beulaville, who made his last three months welcoming and comforting. A private family memorial service will be held in Middleburg at a later date.
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