Norborne "Bobby" Eugene Spottswood
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Norborne Eugene Spottswood "Bobby" of Gulf Breeze was 87 when he died peacefully June 17, 2021, with his wife by his side. He was born March 14, 1934, in Carrabelle, Florida, to Norborne Edmund Spottswood and Mattie Lenora Bailey Spottswood, who preceded him in death. He was also known fondly as Spotts.
Bobby was raised predominantly in Catholic schools as an athletic youth and altar boy in Mobile, Alabama. Upon graduation, Bobby joined the Air Force and served in the Korean War. He was honorably discharged after contracting tuberculosis, but those years provided a lifelong love of air and sea. He continued his passion by building model ships and planes with exquisite detail and skill.
Following in family tradition, he spent 33 years with the Mobile Fire Department, retiring as a captain. Those years were signified by numerous certifications, awards and accommodations. He was also a paramedic and EMT and taught in those capacities as well.
Never stagnant, Bobby loved to coach team sports and clean boats. The American Legion was a constant on the local level and up through the ranks into district and state.
Yearly vacations brought him to The Five Flags Inn, on Pensacola Beach, where he grew close to the Clark family who were owners and friends. When he retired in 1988, this friendship led Bobby to a position there he truly loved and enjoyed. Bobby also became a voracious reader often reading numerous books simultaneously.
It was a turning point year in 1994 when Bobby received his first and only DUI, after being a functioning alcoholic his whole life. Kicking the habit and having a renewed faith in God, he became an advocate for accountability after reaching this bottom. MADD became his new platform, and he spoke monthly there and became the first person to voluntarily keep the required 'blow machine' court-ordered device in vehicle.
This is when he met and later married his wife of close to 20 years, Nancy Slatton Hosler Spottswood. The struggles of youth taught him big life lessons that we all should live by and love by.
They became members of Midway First Assembly of God and great friends with Pastor David Lang and his vivacious wife, Anne, whom they had interviewed during his tenure as a writer with Navarre Press newspaper. "Here's Looking at You," a weekly column, was well received by and honored area seniors and snowbirds. Bobby was especially privileged to have interviewed and shared the stories of the Honor Flight veterans. Pastor Dave would lead and Bobby would follow, whether it was the monthly food distribution program, maintenance, cleaning, repairing, building, ushering, or serving as senior member of the board. Paying off the mortgage became the new goal, and a thrift store was born. His final claim to fame, Bobby was a daily permanent fixture at the store. He stayed active until his passing.
A Celebration of Life with Military Honors will be held Monday July 5, 2021, at East Bay Church (Midway First Assembly) at 2:00 with a reception following.
Survivors include his wife, Nancy Spottswood; son, Norbert Eugene Spottswood "Bob" and his wife, Melinda, of El Cajon, California; grandchildren Scott, Stephen and Danielle; and five great-grandchildren; son, Norbert Eugene Spottswood "Chuck" of Richmond, Virginia; granddaughter, Cheyenne; and three great-grandchildren; Daughter, Adrianne Spottswood and husband, Lonnie Spottswood, of Mobile, Alabama; grandchildren Raybon and Priscilla; and one great-grandchild; son, Blake Hosler and wife, Amy, of Albertville Minnesota; son Wade Hosler and wife, Jamie, of Gulf Breeze; granddaughter, Jaina Hosler, the light of his last years.
Many thanks for prayers, love, care and support of extended family, church family, friends, clients, work family – all too numerous to mention – but truly appreciated and loved.