Sybil Spivey

Middleburg, FL – Sybil Jean Beck Spivey, 84, graduated to Heaven on Thursday, July 11, 2019 at Orange Park Medical Center in Jacksonville, Florida. A lifelong resident of Buncombe County, she had moved to Florida in March 2018 with her daughter’s family. She was the daughter of the late Francis Bryson Beck and Mayme Queen Beck; wife of the late Robert “Bobby” Hoyt Spivey and sister of the late Catherine Mae Beck, James Omar Beck and Harold Eugene Beck. Mrs. Spivey was born on June 19, 1935 at the Balsam Mtn Inn in Jackson County, now known as The Grand Old Lady Hotel. After moving with her family to Asheville in the 1940’s, she graduated from Lee H. Edwards (now Asheville) High School in 1953 and immediately began her career in the banking industry at various institutions in Asheville. After 43 years, she formally retired from the First Union National Bank. She was a charter member of Emma Baptist Church, from 1958 to 1991, before being called to Fairview Baptist Church in ministry with her husband. She taught Sunday School, G.A.’s, Acteens, and Young Adults. She loved teaching Bible School every summer, and singing in the choir. Mrs. Spivey and her husband were members of The Good Fellowship Club, formed from various friendships and Sunday School groups. Sybil loved to cook for her husband, family, and friends. Many, many lucky folks enjoyed her culinary skills, so much that they encouraged her to start her own catering business. She always said, “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”. The most important things in her life were God, family, and friends. A priority, without fail, was her standing appointment at the beauty salon on every Friday at 11:30. She taught us all how to be prissy! Surviving are her daughter, Marisa Spivey Oxner and husband Steve Oxner of the home; granddaughters, Bailey Sloan Oxner and Emalyn-Claire Oxner; one grandson, Joshua Winston Fowler and wife Susan Fowler of Hampton, Virginia; five great grandchildren, Tori Fowler, Melissa Fowler, Alex Fowler, Zane Everette Fowler and Hazel Catherine Fowler. Funeral services will be held at 2 PM Thursday, July 18, 2019 at West Asheville Baptist Church, with Rev. Dr. Stan Welch officiating. Burial will follow in Green Hills Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 to 9 PM Wednesday at Anders-Rice Funeral Home. A special thanks to Mrs. Spivey’s physicians, Dr. David Jalel El Hassan, Dr. Majdi Ashchi, Dr. Jamal Salameh, Dr. Manish K. Bansal, and Dr. Luis F. Laos of the Orange Park Medical Center. And, to the amazing nurses on Four North Step Down Unit, your attentiveness to all of Sybil’s constant needs greatly impressed all of us. We are forever thankful that you surrounded Sybil until she transitioned to her heavenly home.