Ernest H. Spearman

Ernest Hood Spearman, 77, of 757 Abingdon Road, passed away Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008, at Upstate Carolina Medical Center.

Born in Hickory Grove, Mr. Spearman was the husband of Gladys Mae Simpson Spearman of the home and son of the late James Levi and Ola Mae Norris Spearman. Mr.

Spearman was an

evangelist and was

also the head of The Spearman Singers, a gospel singing group. Mr. Spearman was a veteran of the United States Army and was a member of the Leslie Church of God in Catawba, S.C.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Spearman is survived by two daughters, Judy Painter and husband, Jimmy, and Tena Mullinax and husband, J.R., all of Blacksburg; a son, Ernest Spearman Jr. of Blacksburg; a brother, Willie Spearman of Gastonia; seven grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

In addition to his parents, Mr. Spearman was preceded in death by a son, Steven E. Spearman; a daughter, Teresa Spearman; four sisters, Martha Summey, Thelma Carroll, Louise Hinton, and Bertha Childers; and a brother, Curtis Spearman.

The family will receive friends Friday, Oct. 3, from 6-8 p.m. at Gordon Mortuary in Blacksburg.

Service will be held Saturday, Oct. 4, at 2 p.m. at the Voice of Triumph in Blacksburg with the Revs. Roy Bogan, William Blanton and Ernest Rogers officiating. Entombment will follow in Clingman Memorial Gardens. Body will be placed in the church at 1:30 p.m.

Pallbearers will be Gary Kenneth Shull Jr., Jeffrey Ray Mullinax, James King Painter Jr., Jimmy Lee Painter, Artis Summey,and Cecil Judd .

The family will be at the residence.

An online guestbook is available at www.gordonmortuary. com.