George Howard Spang

Largo, Florida - George Howard Spang, (Cork) son of Charles Edward Spang and Marietta Newlin Spang, born April 2, 1931, in Georgetown, Il, died December 19, 2022, at the Bay Pines VA Hospice in Largo, Fl. He joins the love of his life, Charlotte Joan Canaday, who preceded him in death in Amana, Iowa, on February 7, 2016.

Georges phenomenal memory for detail -and inclusion of those details in every story he told - led his children to joke that his stories searched for an ending, But it is in those stories and in the way he lived his life that his children- Diana Lynn (Max) Varner, Verona, WI; Cynthia (Bill) Burkhalter, Cedar Rapids, IA; Nancy (Steve) Trask, Champlin, MN and Charles (Patti) Spang, Sun City, FL - knew what he valued. So do his grandchildren: Katie (Ben) Fowle, Lindsay (Matt) Duch, Courtney (Tim) Lorden, Matt (Halle) Burkhalter, Stephanie (Jon) Boatwright, Laura (Christopher) Killingsworth and David Trask, Charles Joshua (Kristin) Spang and Christopher (Sarah) Spang, and nine great-grandchildren.

A child of the Depression, George cherished his childhood family, friends, and life in Georgetown. George recalled that while dating Charlotte, Charlottes father, Frank Canaday always admonished him to " Take care of Charlotte, Cork. When you back out of the driveway, be careful. Theres a ditch back there."

George didnt see many ditches. His eyes were always on the horizon, his head in the clouds. Upon his return from a four-year Navy tour on a tanker, he worked at the Danville, Illinois Hyster factory, putting parts into a box. He and Charlotte were married with two toddlers. One day he came home and said, "Charlotte, Im a lot smarter than this. Either Im going to farm my dads land or go to college." "George", she said, "you dont know anything about farming and we dont have any equipment." "So, I went to college," he said. Dad said of Charlotte in telling this story, "She was so darn smart; she knew what we should do." Together, they cared for each other and avoided the ditches through 67 years of marriage.

However, Georges assessment of himself was also true: he was "smarter than that" He launched a career at Central Soya, an agribusiness dealing in feed and poultry. While he started as an accountant, his people skills soon landed him in management. He ended his career as Vice President at both Central Soya and also at Land of Lakes. George was one of those rare individuals who could deal with numbers -while also working effectively with people. He innovated new methods for achieving results - which also landed him on the front page of the industry publication - "Turkey World".

As a result of George's military, college, and professional life, George and Charlotte created a home for their family over a span of 32 moves in 16 cities and towns and 10 states. At each move, George and Charlotte prioritized their children. George also cherished Ann (Don) Smith, his only sibling, and her three sons- Kent, Steve, and Dennis and their families.

After Charlottes death in 2016, George relocated to Largo, Florida. In November 2021 he married Ronnie Dobbs.

Georges Florida Celebration of Life was at Indian Rocks Baptist Church on December 22, 2022, at 11:00 A.M.

Georges final services and internment in Illinois are on January 20, 2023. Visitation is from 1:00 until 2:00, with services following at Olivet Church of the Nazarene, before internment with military honors in the Georgetown, Illinois, cemetery. Dinner follows the internment. His arrangements were entrusted to Sunset Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Georgetown, Illinois 200 E. West St. Georgetown, Illinois 61846

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials made to Indian Rocks Baptist Church, Largo FL, and/or VA Bay Pines Fisher House.

Services Visitation Friday January 20, 2023 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM Olivet Church of the Nazarene 5054 Olivet Rd Georgetown, , IL 61846 Memorial Celebration Friday January 20, 2023 2:00 PM Olivet Church of the Nazarene 5054 Olivet Rd Georgetown, , IL 61846