Obituary for Byron Spaulding
Please check The Capitol Hill Baptist Church Facebook Page on Friday at 1PM for a livestream of the service.
Byron Ray “Red” Spaulding, affectionately called “Poppy”, was born April 28, 1933 in Gotebo, OK to George William Spaulding and Pearl (Smith) Spaulding and passed away surrounded by loving family on January 24, 2021 in Norman, OK. He spent his early years on the family farm South of Gotebo at the base of Rainey Mountain until he and his mother moved to Oklahoma City a couple years after his father’s death in 1942. In Oklahoma City he attended Capitol Hill High School. He met Dena Rakestraw in Oklahoma City in 1956 and married her on August 23, 1958. They were blessed with four children, eighteen grandchildren, and (so far) eleven great grandchildren. From 1952 until December of 1991 when he retired as a Master Sergeant from the OK Air Guard 137th CAMS Squadron at Will Rogers ANG Base, Byron served in the military where he worked as a crew chief on the P-80, F-86, C-97, C-124 and the C-130.
Byron loved his family and enjoyed every moment spent with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He delighted them with stories of his boyhood and made sure they always knew he was their biggest fan. When his boys were young he coached them on the Southside Chiefs baseball team, and as they and, later, his grandchildren grew he loved cheering for them at their high school football games and all other events. He also loved Jesus. He was a long-time member of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, and he loved to greet people there with a smiling face and to serve the church with his hands in whatever ways he could. He was truly gifted with a servant’s heart and a gift for putting others at ease, and he could always be counted on for a smile, a warm hug, and a word of encouragement and to show up wherever and whenever he was needed. As one friend commented, “Byron never met a stranger,” and, as another noted, “he liked people, and they returned the favor with a smile.”
Byron was preceded in death by his parents, George and Pearl Spaulding and his older brothers Basil and Bill Spaulding. He is survived by his wife, Dena, and their four children: Terry Spaulding and Tamara of Oklahoma City, OK; Jana (Spaulding) DeLong and Darren of Norman, OK; Steve Spaulding and Tami of Calgary, Canada; and Mike Spaulding and Tami of Norman, OK. He is also survived by his eighteen grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren.
Byron faithfully served his God, his country, and his family, and he will be deeply missed, his family is comforted to know he is now rejoicing in the presence of his Maker, having been rewarded with a “well done, my good and faithful servant.”
Byron Ray “Red” Spaulding, affectionately called “Poppy”, was born April 28, 1933 in Gotebo, OK to George William Spaulding and Pearl (Smith) Spaulding and passed away surrounded by loving family on January 24, 2021 in Norman, OK. He spent his early years on the family farm South of Gotebo at the base of Rainey Mountain until he and his mother moved to Oklahoma City a couple years after his father’s death in 1942. In Oklahoma City he attended Capitol Hill High School. He met Dena Rakestraw in Oklahoma City in 1956 and married her on August 23, 1958. They were blessed with four children, eighteen grandchildren, and (so far) eleven great grandchildren. From 1952 until December of 1991 when he retired as a Master Sergeant from the OK Air Guard 137th CAMS Squadron at Will Rogers ANG Base, Byron served in the military where he worked as a crew chief on the P-80, F-86, C-97, C-124 and the C-130.
Byron loved his family and enjoyed every moment spent with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He delighted them with stories of his boyhood and made sure they always knew he was their biggest fan. When his boys were young he coached them on the Southside Chiefs baseball team, and as they and, later, his grandchildren grew he loved cheering for them at their high school football games and all other events. He also loved Jesus. He was a long-time member of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, and he loved to greet people there with a smiling face and to serve the church with his hands in whatever ways he could. He was truly gifted with a servant’s heart and a gift for putting others at ease, and he could always be counted on for a smile, a warm hug, and a word of encouragement and to show up wherever and whenever he was needed. As one friend commented, “Byron never met a stranger,” and, as another noted, “he liked people, and they returned the favor with a smile.”
Byron was preceded in death by his parents, George and Pearl Spaulding and his older brothers Basil and Bill Spaulding. He is survived by his wife, Dena, and their four children: Terry Spaulding and Tamara of Oklahoma City, OK; Jana (Spaulding) DeLong and Darren of Norman, OK; Steve Spaulding and Tami of Calgary, Canada; and Mike Spaulding and Tami of Norman, OK. He is also survived by his eighteen grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren.
Byron faithfully served his God, his country, and his family, and he will be deeply missed, his family is comforted to know he is now rejoicing in the presence of his Maker, having been rewarded with a “well done, my good and faithful servant.”