Robert Hoyt "Bobby" Spivey

Asheville - Robert Hoyt Bobby Spivey, 69, of Asheville went to be with the Lord Saturday, July 26, 2003 at the Mountain Area Hospice Solace Center. A lifelong resident of Buncombe County. He was the son of the late Hoyt Lee Spivey and Bertha Jeanette Whitaker Spivey. Mr. Spivey graduated from Emma High School in 1952 and Asheville Biltmore College in 1954 (now UNCA) where he received an associate degree in business administration. He served in the U.S. Army Armor Center 6th Armored Cavalry in Fort Knox, Kentucky from 1956 to 1958 as a Chaplains Assistant. He was a member of Emma United Methodist Church from 1943 to 1948 where he served as pianist beginning at age 8, was a member of Patton Avenue Baptist Church where he served as pianist and organist from 1951 to 1958. He joined Emma Baptist Church as a charter member in 1958 to 1991, serving as a deacon, Sunday School teacher, pianist and organist. In 1992 he was called to Fairview Baptist Church as pianist and served as teacher of Senior Adult Men Sunday School Class until present. He had a love for gospel music and touched many peoples lives with his talent and ability the Lord provided him and taught many students to play the piano. He was a staff organist at Anders-Rice Funeral Home and in the 1940s he played for numerous quartets and from 1950 to 1954 played for the Friendly Five Quartet and until 1959 he played for the Buncombe County Sheriffs Quartet, from 1963 to 1979 played for the Pleasant Five Quartet. He volunteered time for 25 years in Nursing Homes and Hospitals to shut-ins and received a 25 year volunteer pin from WNC Baptist Retirement Home where he also received a volunteer everyday hero award. He retired from Steelcase, Inc. in Fletcher in 1992 with 19 years of service as payroll clerk. Following his retirement, he worked with both the Asheville City and Buncombe County School System where he served as a Bus Driver and Substitute Teacher. Surviving are his wife, Sybil Jean Beck Spivey of the home; daughter, Marisa Spivey Oxner and husband, Steve Oxner of Candler; granddaughter, Bailey Sloan Oxner and grandson, Joshua Winston Fowler both of Candler; sisters, Barbara June Dossett of Austin, Texas and Carolyn Jeanette Hipps of Asheville; several Aunts, Uncles, 3 nephews, 1 great nephew and a great niece. Funeral services will be held 2 PM Tuesday at West Asheville Baptist Church with the Revs Todd Royal, Richard Baird and John T. Tiller officiating. Burial will be in Green Hills cemetery. The family will receive friends Monday from 6 to 9 PM at West Asheville Baptist Church. Memorials may be made to Hospice, P.O. Box 25338, Asheville, N.C. 28813 or Fairview Baptist Church Music Ministry, P.O. Box 1339, Fairview, N.C. 28730.