Gale Walter Spilman

Gale W. Spilman​ - On April 6, 2018, Reverend Gale Walter Spilman exchanged the cares of this life for his Heavenly home. He was born on March 19, 1938, in Bloomfield, Iowa; the son of Howard and Darlene (Green) Spilman.

He graduated from high school in Bloomfield, and then set out for Kansas, where he worked as a farm hand. From there, he took a job at the Social Security office in Kansas City, Missouri. While living in Kansas City, he attended a church event where he met Donna Delores Dinwiddie, who was the love of his life. They were married on April 4, 1959, and were blessed with two sons.

In 1966, pulling a small house trailer down the road, Gale moved his young family to Graceville, Florida. There he attended Baptist Bible Institute, while working a variety of jobs to support his family. He was a police officer, unloaded rail cars, and worked in a peanut mill.

He preached for the first time at Red Oak Baptist Church, in Baker, Florida, and his first pastorate was at Spring Hill Baptist Church, in Franklin, Alabama. He pastored a number of other churches, in Repton, Alabama; Crane, Missouri; Nebo, Illinois; Holden, Missouri; Springfield, Illinois; Huntsville, Missouri; Henrietta, Missouri; and Polo, Missouri. While living in Nebo, he also graduated from Hannibal-LaGrange College. He retired in 2015, and made his home in Orrick, Missouri.

He loved the Lord Jesus, his family, his cats, watching Westerns, and anything to do with cars.

Preceding him in death were his parents; his wife, Donna; and a sister, Nancy Spilman. Survivors include sons Doug  Spilman (Karen), of Holden, Missouri and Roger Spilman (Candy), of Polo, Missouri; grandsons Matthew Spilman (Sarah), of Kingsville, Missouri, Christopher Spilman (Rebecca), of Columbia, Missouri, Nathan Spilman (fiancee Taryn Clement), of Kansas City, Missouri, and Ryan Spilman (Cynthia May), of Lee's Summit, Missouri; granddaughter Julie Claibourn (Allen III), of Orrick, Missouri; and seven great grandchildren, Lucas, Caiden, Connor, Theo, Amelia, Allen IV, and Darla; sister Marie Monson, of Ajo, Arizona; and brother David Spilman, also of Ajo.

Memorial contributions are suggested to Maple City Baptist Church in Monmouth, IL.  A memorial service will be held  at 2:00 PM Tuesday, April 10th, 2018 at the First Baptist Church in Lawson, MO, with Dr. Robert Hodson officiating. Inurnment at a later date at Prairie Ridge Cemetery west of Polo, MO. Arrangements are under the direction of Stith Family Funeral Home in Polo, MO. Online guestbook at www.stithfamilyfunerals.com 

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