Norman Joe Spears
Norman Joe Spears passed from this world on December 3, 2025. He turned 101 on November 23, 2025. His family was there to celebrate his birthday with him, and he enjoyed himself very much. He took the opportunity to tell them individually how much he valued them and how proud he was of them. He was always a kind and gracious man.
Joe was the son of Wayne Spears and Verda Spears (born Chesnut) and grew up in the Blue Mound area outside West Plains. Joe was a lifelong resident of Howell County and a resident of West Plains since his return from military service in Italy in 1945. He loved West Plains and thought it was the best place in the world to live. He never thought about living anywhere else.
He was a 1941 graduate of West Plains High School. In his senior year, he was awarded the Best Citizen Award by his graduating class. Following his graduation from high school, he was employed as a clerk by the Missouri Board of Pharmacy. Shortly after he went to work for the Board, he was appointed by Missouri Governor Forrest Donnell to a clerkship in the office of the state pharmacy board.
With the advent of World War II, Joe enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps and was eventually deployed to Italy, where he was a wing gunner in a B-17 bomber. He repeatedly put his life at risk, flying dozens of missions, including missions where some of the planes in his group did not return. Joe’s experience in the U.S. military became more and more important to him as he got older. He was extremely proud of his service and he treasured his memories of it.
Joe was married for over 55 years to Glyndalene Spears (born Prewett in Salem, Arkansas). Glyn predeceased him in 2005. They had two children, JoAnne Spears Jackson of Springfield, Missouri, and David Spears of New York, New York. They also enjoyed two grandchildren, Sophie Spears and Hannah Spears, both of New York, New York. Joe and Glyn loved traveling with their family, and they took many trips, domestic and foreign, with JoAnne and David and their spouses.
Joe and Glyn were active supporters of the development of the West Plains branch of Missouri State University, starting with the opening of a Southwest Missouri State branch in West Plains in 1993 and continuing for the rest of their lives. In 2016, Joe was honored by MSU with the Granvil Vaughn Founders’ Award.
Joe and Glyn owned and operated several local businesses in West Plains over the years. Joe was a co-owner of Wilke’s Drug Store for decades; Wilke’s was an essential part of West Plains life. Joe was active in civic and business development in West Plains, where he served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Industrial Development Commission of West Plains, Chairman of the West Plains Planning Commission, and Chairman of the Downtown Development Group. Joe also served for years on the Boards of Directors of the Housing Authority of West Plains and the South Central Ozark Development Corporation. He was a charter member of the West Plains Lions Club and an active member of numerous other civic organizations, including the Chamber of Commerce, the Red Cross Blood Drive, United Way, and the West Plains Little League Program.
Joe served on the Board of Directors of the West Plains Bank for many years. He loved being on the Board of the Bank and interacting with his fellow Board members. He and Glyn loved the many trips they took with the other Board members.
Like his father before him, Joe loved to travel. Over the years, he was always willing to take advantage of opportunities to travel both in the U.S. and internationally with both family and friends. He continued to travel domestically and internationally well into his 80s. He managed to make new friends everywhere he went on his trips.
In addition to traveling, Joe loved to host his granddaughters in West Plains, particularly in the summer, when he could show them what he called a “country upbringing,” including water skiing at Norfork Lake, nights at the County Fair, picnics at Galloway Park, and, to the girls’ delight, no designated bedtime. Nothing made him happier than hearing his granddaughters call West Plains home or say they wished they lived in West Plains.
Joe loved telling stories about his life, his family, and people in West Plains, and he continued telling and retelling those stories until the very end. There was nothing he loved more than a game of hearts with his family at happy hour. He was a true family man and leaves his family with countless happy memories.
Joe was proud of the many moments in his life when he was able to help someone in need. He left an impact on everyone who knew him. He was often stopped when dining out by someone who had worked for him at Wilke’s or remembered the kindness he had shown to them.
In his final years, Joe remained in his home and was cared for by a wonderful, loving group of caregivers. He often talked about how much he enjoyed and appreciated them. They became part of his family too.
Joe is survived by JoAnne, David, his daughter-in-law Patricia Glennon, and his granddaughters Hannah and Sophie.
A graveside service with full military honors will be held at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at Oak Lawn Cemetery in West Plains, under the direction of the Robertson-Drago Funeral Home. There will be a visitation at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home the evening of December 15 from 4:00 until 6:00 p.m.
The family requests no flowers. Anyone interested in honoring Joe might consider a gift to the Glyn Spears Memorial Endowed Scholarship at Missouri State-West Plains (MSU-WP), and may be left at or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 W. Main St., West Plains, Missouri.