Bobbie J. Spence

Bobbie J. Spence, 83, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Wednesday, April 12, 2017.

Bob, the son of the late Omer Baxter Spence and Opal Gray Spence Clark, was born Feb. 13, 1934 in Success. Ark. He proudly served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict from 1952 - 1956. Bob worked at two machine shops from 1956-1958, and joined the St. Louis City Police Department in 1959. He worked the St. Louis waterfront as a “Foot Copper” for two years, and then was promoted to the rank of Detective. He remained in this position until leaving to accept a position with the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s office as a legal investigator, where he was the lead investigator of the organized crime unit. In 1976 he left that position for the Mo. Election Commission to investigate campaign donor funds for elected Mo state officials; he served in that position until the Missouri Supreme Court on Jan. 3, 1978 disbanded it. He then went to work for the Missouri Dept. of Social Services as a legal investigator of welfare fraud. In 1983, Bob was promoted to special agent in charge (SAC) of Central Missouri Division. Bob later transferred to the Eastern Division, where he eventually retired. Bob received his Bachelors degree in 1976 and his Masters of Arts of Administration of Justice in 1981 from Webster College. He taught Criminal Justice classes as an Adjunct Professor for Columbia College in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. for 14 years. During his career, Bob received many letters of acknowledgement for his contributions and achievements. Bob was a very private person with a high level of energy; he was always working on one or the other of his many projects. He had an acute sense of humor and was never boring.

On Sept. 1, 1956 he married Barbara A. Poole.

Survivors include his wife, Barbara A. Spence: three children, Robert W. Spence and his wife, Brenda, Steven N. Spence and Rebecca J. Spence Stringer and her husband, Scott; and a brother, Glen Clark.

A granddaughter, Savana J. Spence, two sisters, Zelma Jeter and Wanda Shamlin preceded him in death.

A Celebration of Life Memorial will be held on Saturday, April 22, 2017 at 11 a.m. at 807 Cole Ave., Poplar Bluff, MO.