Vincent Spears Sr. Obituary

Vincent was born March 29, 1951 to Johnnie Mae Spears (Carr) and William Carr. At an early age Vincent was baptized and accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior.

Vincent attended Cincinnati Public Schools where he took an interest in woodwork and singing.

He was an outdoorsman and in his teenage years loved skiing, fishing, riding and building bicycles with his brothers.

His mom taught Vincent well as she taught her daughters, to cook, sew, house work and all those important task she taught the girls, he had to know also in addition to the typical chores that were considered for the boys. Vincent became a member of New Jerusalem Baptist Church and later became a Deacon, and took that title very seriously, and as an honor.

Deacon Vincent taught the Men's Sunday School Class in the 90's and was Director of the Male Chorus for over a decade. He also was a member of the Choir, Deacon over the Nurses Guild, active in Simba, and Deacon over the Drama Ministry until his health began to fail. He built sets, ran the spotlight and whatever he could do to help out.

Deacon Vincent loved to sing, and to teach songs. He sang with many groups starting with a group in his teenage years, to Gospel groups in his adult life, such as the NewJ Male Chorus, Men of Faith, Mighty Men, Midwest travelers, and more. They sang in hospitals, nursing homes, churches, and anywhere they were requested. Deacon Vincent was blessed with an angelic voice that he used to glorify God. He was asked to sing at a funeral, the last time he was able to sing. The night before having respiratory problems, he struggled to get the notes out, barely able to walk, he did what was asked of him, and didn't miss a beat the next day that he sang at the funeral., We all knew it had to be the Holy Spirit guiding him.

Deacon Vincent was a truck driver for years, and would give anyone interested in truck driving, tips and his training material. He also built furniture and controlled the robot on his final job before retiring. At home he was a gardener, until his health failed, and loved to grow, greens, cabbage, onions, green peppers, and tomatoes. Vincent did not mind at all getting tips from the older generation on any topic. Vincent was extremely organized and planned well, gave his all to whatever he did. Inside the house he had a green thumb and could turn a small plant into a tree. He built his wife the prettiest cherry oak desk, and mail stand. Vincent had begun to take piano lessons and was advancing pretty rapidly until his health began to fail.

He had a deep love for his family and enjoyed time spent with all of his family. From taking them to school, teaching them tennis, and swimming, and taking them to church, and on family reunions out of town, and just showing them how to be men.

He loved his Pastor and 1st Lady, church family and all the members and their significant others of the groups he sang with. He had a special relationship with his wife's side of the family and attended almost every, "Steele family reunion", in various states, and almost always took his mother. they were loved so much that they were considered a member of the family not an in-law. He also had a special relationship with his Father-In-Law. His Father-In-Law would call on the phone and say, "How are you daughter and then say, OK, let me speak to Vincent.

He was preceded in death by parents, William and Johnnie Mae Carr; father-In-Law, Welton Smith; siblings, Lisa Spears Dalmida and Patricia Taite.

His spirit lives on in his wife, Valita Karen Spears; siblings, Theresa Jenkins, Sharon Harvey, Ras-Sudan Uhuru, Garrett Spears, Debbie Spears and Candes Brooks; Children: Vinnessa Spears, Vincent Spears, Jr, James L. Smith, Paula Smith, Carrie McCledon, Bobbie McCledon and Junie McCledon; 17 grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren, and a host of sister and brother in-laws, nephews, nieces, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.