John Earl “Buddy” Spring, Jr. 80, passed away Saturday, July 7, 2018 at his home in Madison, MS. A visitation will be held on Monday, July 9 at 9:30 a.m. followed by an 11:00 a.m. service at Parkway Funeral Home in Ridgeland, MS. Buddy will be buried with family in Meadville, MS immediately following the service.
Mr. Spring was born in New Orleans, LA, but spent his childhood in Brookhaven, MS. He graduated from Brookhaven High where in 1955 he was named Mr. Brookhaven High. He then attended college at Mississippi State University before accepting a football scholarship at Co-Lin and Louisiana College where he then graduated. He has since been an avid Mississippi State fan and loved watching the Bulldogs play.
Buddy married Patricia Ann Corban of Meadville, MS in 1957 and they recently celebrated 60 years of marriage. He loved being surrounded by his family and friends. He enjoyed hunting at Wells Creek Hunting Club in Franklin County, playing golf with his friends and spending time on the tractor at Cowbell Farms. His career in the Highway Construction business spanned over 40 years beginning with his longtime business partner and dear friend, Andy Pressgrove. Their company, American United Products, was based in Natchez, MS. After a merger with Choctaw Inc., later, Hansen American, he relocated to Madison, MS to be near his children and grandchildren. Upon his retirement from Hansen, he remained active in the construction business and joined Bulldog Construction on a part-time basis with Stan and Nancy Black.
He was a devoted husband and family man and spent the majority of his time with his children, grandchildren and friends. He also attended and was a former Deacon at First Baptist Church in Madison, MS.
Buddy is survived by his wife, Patricia Ann Corban Spring; two sons, Gregory Bryan Spring (Vicki) of Madison and John Kyle Spring (Kim) of Pensacola, FL; brother, Gene Spring; two brother-in-law’s, Vernon Netherland and Ken Corban; sister-in-law, Pauline Greer Corban; seven grandchildren, Courtney Spring Carlton (Ben), Sarah Spring Utterback (Paul), Peyton Spring, Jordan Spring Harding (Will), Tristan Spring, Gage Spring, and Kylee McKell Spring; one great-grandson, Paul Neal Utterback, Jr. Buddy was predeceased by his mother, Hulda Montgomery Spring, his father, John Earl, Sr., his sister, Sylvia Netherland and brother-in-law, Mickey Corban.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in Buddy’s name to the Madison First Baptist Church Building Fund.
