Jimmy Lee Spears (80) of Hedrick, Iowa passed away December 27, 2022 at Good Samaritan Nursing
Home in Ottumwa, Iowa.
He was born March 30, 1942 in Ottumwa, Iowa to Kenneth and Frances (Campbell) Spears.
He would famously share that he was so smart he skipped Kindergarten and started 1 st grade at
Martinsburg Elementary until middle school when the school was closed. He finished his education at
Hedrick and graduated in the Hedrick High School Class of 1960. After graduating, he dated his fellow
class mate Mary Ann Doak until they married June 5, 1965 in Hedrick, Iowa. To which two daughters
were born, celebrating 57 years together.
He proudly served in the Iowa National Guard from 1963 to 1969 helping with the Mississippi river
floods of 1965 with his lifelong friend and classmate Ed Schultz.
Farming was his focus, learning from his grandfather Clay Campbell and father, finally purchasing the
family farm southeast of Martinsburg in 1974. He managed many farm properties in the later part of his
career and was known for his quality of his hay until his retirement in 2016. He had collected and
restored many tractors over those years and went on several tractor rides with them in the area. He
enjoyed collecting the toy versions as well. During that time, he was also known as an Archer Oil Dealer,
owned the Hedrick Depot for a few years and was a member of the Hedrick-Martinsburg Methodist
church.
He loved watching car racing of all types and started with being on the pit crew for Dean Sylvester in
High School, later sponsoring racers at Eldon, Oskaloosa and Bloomfield. He was also involved with his
community as a member of Ruritan for many years, the Hedrick Lions and the Arendt-Bowlin-Stubbs
American Legion Post #83 of Hedrick. His adventures continued after retirement with camping again at
the Iowa State Fair and Midwest Old Threshers in Mt. Pleasant.
He leaves behind his wife Mary, two daughters Janean (Curt) Dimmig of Madison, WI. and Annette
(Joseph) Roe of Hedrick, IA. Three grandson's Triston Roe of Madison, WI, Talon Roe of Fremont, IA and
Tylor (Kyla) Roe of Fremont, IA, and a sister Jone (Dennis) Molyneux of Rose Hill. He is proceeded in
death by his parents and another lifelong friend and classmate Lynn Swearingen.
Visitation will be Friday December 30 th with family present 5-7 pm with funeral on Saturday morning at
10am at the Fremont Funeral Home.
Burial to follow in the McCormick cemetery by Highland Center with lunch after at the Hedrick-
Martinsburg United Methodist Church.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Good Sam Ottumwa or the Arendt-Bowlin-Stubbs American
Legion Post #83 of Hedrick.
Home in Ottumwa, Iowa.
He was born March 30, 1942 in Ottumwa, Iowa to Kenneth and Frances (Campbell) Spears.
He would famously share that he was so smart he skipped Kindergarten and started 1 st grade at
Martinsburg Elementary until middle school when the school was closed. He finished his education at
Hedrick and graduated in the Hedrick High School Class of 1960. After graduating, he dated his fellow
class mate Mary Ann Doak until they married June 5, 1965 in Hedrick, Iowa. To which two daughters
were born, celebrating 57 years together.
He proudly served in the Iowa National Guard from 1963 to 1969 helping with the Mississippi river
floods of 1965 with his lifelong friend and classmate Ed Schultz.
Farming was his focus, learning from his grandfather Clay Campbell and father, finally purchasing the
family farm southeast of Martinsburg in 1974. He managed many farm properties in the later part of his
career and was known for his quality of his hay until his retirement in 2016. He had collected and
restored many tractors over those years and went on several tractor rides with them in the area. He
enjoyed collecting the toy versions as well. During that time, he was also known as an Archer Oil Dealer,
owned the Hedrick Depot for a few years and was a member of the Hedrick-Martinsburg Methodist
church.
He loved watching car racing of all types and started with being on the pit crew for Dean Sylvester in
High School, later sponsoring racers at Eldon, Oskaloosa and Bloomfield. He was also involved with his
community as a member of Ruritan for many years, the Hedrick Lions and the Arendt-Bowlin-Stubbs
American Legion Post #83 of Hedrick. His adventures continued after retirement with camping again at
the Iowa State Fair and Midwest Old Threshers in Mt. Pleasant.
He leaves behind his wife Mary, two daughters Janean (Curt) Dimmig of Madison, WI. and Annette
(Joseph) Roe of Hedrick, IA. Three grandson's Triston Roe of Madison, WI, Talon Roe of Fremont, IA and
Tylor (Kyla) Roe of Fremont, IA, and a sister Jone (Dennis) Molyneux of Rose Hill. He is proceeded in
death by his parents and another lifelong friend and classmate Lynn Swearingen.
Visitation will be Friday December 30 th with family present 5-7 pm with funeral on Saturday morning at
10am at the Fremont Funeral Home.
Burial to follow in the McCormick cemetery by Highland Center with lunch after at the Hedrick-
Martinsburg United Methodist Church.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Good Sam Ottumwa or the Arendt-Bowlin-Stubbs American
Legion Post #83 of Hedrick.
Jimmy Lee Spears (80) of Hedrick, Iowa passed away December 27, 2022 at Good Samaritan Nursing
Home in Ottumwa, Iowa.
He was born March 30, 1942 in Ottumwa, Iowa to Kenneth and Frances (Campbell) Spears.
He would famously share that he was so smart he skipped Kindergarten and started 1 st grade at
Martinsburg Elementary until middle school when the school was closed. He finished his education at
Hedrick and graduated in the Hedrick High School Class of 1960. After graduating, he dated his fellow
class mate Mary Ann Doak until they married June 5, 1965 in Hedrick, Iowa. To which two daughters
were born, celebrating 57 years together.
He proudly served in the Iowa National Guard from 1963 to 1969 helping with the Mississippi river
floods of 1965 with his lifelong friend and classmate Ed Schultz.
Farming was his focus, learning from his grandfather Clay Campbell and father, finally purchasing the
family farm southeast of Martinsburg in 1974. He managed many farm properties in the later part of his
career and was known for his quality of his hay until his retirement in 2016. He had collected and
restored many tractors over those years and went on several tractor rides with them in the area. He
enjoyed collecting the toy versions as well. During that time, he was also known as an Archer Oil Dealer,
owned the Hedrick Depot for a few years and was a member of the Hedrick-Martinsburg Methodist
church.
He loved watching car racing of all types and started with being on the pit crew for Dean Sylvester in
High School, later sponsoring racers at Eldon, Oskaloosa and Bloomfield. He was also involved with his
community as a member of Ruritan for many years, the Hedrick Lions and the Arendt-Bowlin-Stubbs
American Legion Post #83 of Hedrick. His adventures continued after retirement with camping again at
the Iowa State Fair and Midwest Old Threshers in Mt. Pleasant.
He leaves behind his wife Mary, two daughters Janean (Curt) Dimmig of Madison, WI. and Annette
(Joseph) Roe of Hedrick, IA. Three grandson's Triston Roe of Madison, WI, Talon Roe of Fremont, IA and
Tylor (Kyla) Roe of Fremont, IA, and a sister Jone (Dennis) Molyneux of Rose Hill. He is proceeded in
death by his parents and another lifelong friend and classmate Lynn Swearingen.
Visitation will be Friday December 30 th with family present 5-7 pm with funeral on Saturday morning at
10am at the Fremont Funeral Home.
Burial to follow in the McCormick cemetery by Highland Center with lunch after at the Hedrick-
Martinsburg United Methodist Church.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Good Sam Ottumwa or the Arendt-Bowlin-Stubbs American
Legion Post #83 of Hedrick.
Home in Ottumwa, Iowa.
He was born March 30, 1942 in Ottumwa, Iowa to Kenneth and Frances (Campbell) Spears.
He would famously share that he was so smart he skipped Kindergarten and started 1 st grade at
Martinsburg Elementary until middle school when the school was closed. He finished his education at
Hedrick and graduated in the Hedrick High School Class of 1960. After graduating, he dated his fellow
class mate Mary Ann Doak until they married June 5, 1965 in Hedrick, Iowa. To which two daughters
were born, celebrating 57 years together.
He proudly served in the Iowa National Guard from 1963 to 1969 helping with the Mississippi river
floods of 1965 with his lifelong friend and classmate Ed Schultz.
Farming was his focus, learning from his grandfather Clay Campbell and father, finally purchasing the
family farm southeast of Martinsburg in 1974. He managed many farm properties in the later part of his
career and was known for his quality of his hay until his retirement in 2016. He had collected and
restored many tractors over those years and went on several tractor rides with them in the area. He
enjoyed collecting the toy versions as well. During that time, he was also known as an Archer Oil Dealer,
owned the Hedrick Depot for a few years and was a member of the Hedrick-Martinsburg Methodist
church.
He loved watching car racing of all types and started with being on the pit crew for Dean Sylvester in
High School, later sponsoring racers at Eldon, Oskaloosa and Bloomfield. He was also involved with his
community as a member of Ruritan for many years, the Hedrick Lions and the Arendt-Bowlin-Stubbs
American Legion Post #83 of Hedrick. His adventures continued after retirement with camping again at
the Iowa State Fair and Midwest Old Threshers in Mt. Pleasant.
He leaves behind his wife Mary, two daughters Janean (Curt) Dimmig of Madison, WI. and Annette
(Joseph) Roe of Hedrick, IA. Three grandson's Triston Roe of Madison, WI, Talon Roe of Fremont, IA and
Tylor (Kyla) Roe of Fremont, IA, and a sister Jone (Dennis) Molyneux of Rose Hill. He is proceeded in
death by his parents and another lifelong friend and classmate Lynn Swearingen.
Visitation will be Friday December 30 th with family present 5-7 pm with funeral on Saturday morning at
10am at the Fremont Funeral Home.
Burial to follow in the McCormick cemetery by Highland Center with lunch after at the Hedrick-
Martinsburg United Methodist Church.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Good Sam Ottumwa or the Arendt-Bowlin-Stubbs American
Legion Post #83 of Hedrick.
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