ROGER HERN SPOONER

Roger Hern Spooner, age 99, of Iron City, GA passed away Thursday morning, Feb. 24, 2022 at Southeast Health in Dothan, AL. Funeral services for Mr. Spooner will be held on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022 at 3:00 PM at the “Spooner Oak” on Bartow Gibson Hwy in Seminole County, the site of the old homestead where his grandparents lived, then his parents, and where he grew up, with Rev. David Williams officiating. The branches of this magnificent tree cover almost an entire acre and the Georgia Forestry Commission believes it is over 300 years old. Interment will follow at Friendship Cemetery with Willard Mims, Tyler Cox, Chris Thomas, Melvin Davis, Hugh Fountian, Jimmy Boyette, Lane Newberry, and Steve Jordan serving as active pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be members of American Legion Post 157. Visitation will be held on Saturday evening, Feb. 26, 2022 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM at the Chapel of Evans-Skipper Funeral Home. Mr. Spooner was born in Iron City, GA on Nov. 18, 1922 to Lewis Emory and Delia Jernigan Spooner. In 1941, he enlisted in the United States Navy and when he finished boot camp he boarded the aircraft carrier, U.S.S. Yorktown bound for Pearl Harbor. From Pearl Harbor, he arrived at the coast of Australia and in May 1942 saw action at the Battle of the Coral Sea. The ship received damages during this battle and returned to Pearl Harbor for a couple of days for repairs. Once repairs were complete, the carrier and crew headed to Midway Island and took part in the Battle of Midway in June of 1942, the most important battle in the Pacific. During this battle, the carrier was badly damaged and the crew was ordered to abandon ship. He and his crewmates floated in oily water all night and were rescued the next day. He spent another 4 years in the Navy, attending submarine school and taking part in 9 war patrols out of Perth, Australia. He was discharged as a Motor Machinist Mate Second Class after a motorcycle accident. Mr. Spooner returned home to farm and raise a family, marrying Eloise Heard in 1947, and started trucking. In 1948, he founded Spooner Farms Trucking LLC. In 2017, Mr. Spooner and other remaining survivors from the U.S. and Australia were invited to meet with President Trump and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull aboard the U.S.S. Intrepid in the Hudson Bay to recognize those who fought in the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942. To this day, Spooner Farms Trucking, LLC is still very much a family owned and operated agriculture trucking company. Mr. Spooner’s motto has always been The Golden Rule – “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. Mr. Spooner was the oldest living member of the First Baptist Church of Donalsonville and was a member of the Seminole County Young Farmers. Up until 2 weeks ago, at the “young” age of 99, Mr. Roger was still delivering fertilizer to farms on his 1999 Peterbilt 379, affectionately named “Miss Eloise”. He leaves to cherish his memory, his children, Roger Dorsey Spooner and Wynne of Christina, TN, Lewis Mitchell Spooner and Annette of Brinson, GA, Thomas Arthur Spooner and Diana of Iron City, GA, David Lane Spooner and Connie of Iron City, GA, and Dennis Wayne Spooner and Sue of Iron City, GA; grandsons, Jacob Lee “Jake” Spooner and Hannah of Iron City, GA and Richard Scott Spooner and Tammy of Murfreesboro, TN; and a brother, Cecil Spooner and Mary Ann of Stone Mountain, GA. He is also survived by numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren along with many nieces and nephews. Mr. Spooner was preceded in death by his parents, Lewis and Delia Jernigan Spooner; his wife of 69 years, Eloise Heard Spooner; his brothers, Denver Spooner, Luther Spooner, Joe Spooner, and Billy Spooner; his sisters, Lura Roberts White and Erin Ward George; and three infant siblings.