Richard J. Spurlin

Richard J. Spurlin passed in February 2023, aged of 86 following a long and full life. The father of the family was born the 16th of January 1937 to Ollie J. Spurlin as well as Exa Ellis Spurlin. As the youngest child of four and sole boy, he was raised in the village located in Opp, Alabama. Within four days of the day Richard became a baby, his dad passed away. Richard as well as his sisters taken care of by his mother and an aunt of his maternal lineage, Billie Sue Ellis. Richard was a graduate of Opp High School in 1955 as the valedictorian for his class. While at OHS the student was also the head of OHS’s student body’s association. After his high school graduation, he enrolled at The University of Alabama where his major was in the field of bacteriology. After having graduated at UA at the age of 1959, in 1960, he entered at the University of Alabama School of Medicine with a degree in 1963.

As a teenager in the summer of 1958 Richard worked in the laboratory in the lab at Andalusia Hospital. In the hospital, Richard met Sarah Ann Merrill, a nursing student at St. Margaret’s School of Nursing and native of Dozier, Alabama. As Richard, Sarah was working as a summer employee in during her medical studies. Richard and Sarah were married on September 3 in 1960 in the Searight Baptist Church in Dozier, Alabama. They recently got married 62 years ago.

After Richard completed his medical degree and completed his medical residency with the Air Force Hospital in San Antonio, Texas in 1964. In 1964, the Air Force then moved Richard and Sarah to the Patrick Air Force base in Cocoa Beach, Florida. While in Patrick AFB, their oldest daughter Karla was accepted to the family. As Karla wasn’t yet a child, Richard was sent to join during the Vietnam War where he worked for the department as a physician for civilians in the Vietnam hospital.

After his military duty After his military service, the Dr. Spurlin returned to his hometown in 1967 to be a family physician. He shared his office along with Dr. J.G. Dunn along with Dr. E.R. MacLennan, until he established the Spurlin Clinic in 1972. Dr. Spurlin worked with the community in family medicine that covered general surgical, obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics. The first 6 years following his return to Opp, Richard and Sarah were blessed with three youngsters: Jill, Melanie, and Jay. In his latter years of working Dr. Spurlin worked as a rural medicine preceptor providing personal instruction, training as well as supervision for third- and fourth-year medical students at The University of Alabama School of Medicine. The Dr. Spurlin worked at Spurlin Clinic from 1972 until retired in 1999.

After stepping down from the full-time practice of family medicine Dr. Spurlin decided to give the time of a medical doctor in Crossover Ministries and for Opp High School Bobcat Athletics. He also worked as a part-time physician for Crenshaw Community Hospital in Luverne, Alabama, and at the Opp Cancer Center until it was time to put down his stethoscope. He was admitted into the Opp Hall of Fame by the Opp Chamber of Commerce on May 10 2010.

Richard was also involved in several leadership positions in the First Baptist Church Opp. He was deacon for more than 30 years, and also taught a Sunday School for men class for more than 20 years. He along with Sarah took part in numerous mission trips as part of Carpenters for Christ.

In his spare time, Richard’s interests included reading, woodworking and writing. In retirement, he added travel to his list of interests. He self-published in 2015 his autobiography titled From the Poor Farm Boy to Doctor A True American success story. The autobiography tells of his experience in practicing medicine in a small rural town, as well as a few personal stories of his travels following his retirement.

Richard died in the presence of the parents of his, Exa as well as Ollie J Spurlin and Aunt Billie Sue Ellis, and his sisters Darcene Phillips and Juanita Antonini. The couple survive him by Sarah Sarah and his four sons, Karla (Matthew) Bundy of Auburn and the Dr. Sharon “Jill” Spurlin of Enterprise, Melanie (Reed) Howard of Hoover as well as Richard J “Jay” (Shannan) Spurlin, Jr. of Opp and their sister Jean Everage of Opp. Also, he is survived by his six grandsons as well as one granddaughter who adored him by the name of “PawPaw”: Richard J “Trey” Spurlin, III, Joshua Bundy, Walt Spurlin, Jacob Bundy, Matthew Howard, Levi Howard along with Sarah Bell Howard.

The family will be welcoming guests from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. during the Sunday 19 February 2023, at Wyatt Funeral Home in Opp, Alabama. Following the end of the visitation the funeral will take place at 2:00 p.m. The eulogy is to be read by the Reverend Chris Weide and Reverend Brian Smith will officiate. A funeral service will follow and the Reverend Wayne Sharpe officiating. Cory Spurlin, Neal Presley along with Richard’s 6 grandsons be pallbearers. The family asks that donations be sent in support of First Baptist Church Opp or Mizell Memorial Hospital Foundation.

The article Richard J. Spurlin appeared in The Andalusia Star-News.