DANIEL OWEN SPINKS


SOLOMONS, Md. - Daniel Owen Spinks, 88, of Solomons, Maryland, passed away on March 10, 2007, at the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home. He died from complications of vascular dementia.

Born in Dallas, Georgia, on September 5, 1918, to the late Etta Owen Spinks and Walter F. Spinks, he was the youngest of eight children. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by brothers Hardy Spinks, Hershel Spinks, Leon Spinks; sisters, Middie Spinks Camp and Lessie Spinks Coalson; and son David Spinks.

Dr. Spinks is survived by his wife, Jan M. Spinks of Solomons, Maryland; daughter, Kathleen Morss and her husband Leslie of Midlothian, Scotland; daughter, Alison McClarrie and her husband Mack of Hilliard, Florida; stepdaughter, Sharron Prairie and her husband Michael of Hughesville, Maryland; and stepson, K. Scott McGee and his wife Helen of Alacua, Florida. In addition, he is survived by sisters, Vera Spinks Owens of Mableton, Georgia, and Thelma Spinks Green of Dallas, Georgia; and grandchildren, Thomas Morss, Christopher and Kaitlyn Prairie, and Katherine, Amanda, and Joshua McGee.

Dr. Spinks served in the US Navy during World War II as a pilot instructor stationed in Pensacola, Florida. Following completion of a Doctor of Philosophy degree in soil chemistry at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, Dr. Spinks was appointed as an assistant professor in the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences at the University of Florida in Gainesville. His career at the University of Florida spanned four decades during which time he taught in his field, and served as Dean of Undergraduate students for IFAS. During his final adventure prior to retirement in 1984, Dr. Spinks and his wife served on a US Agency for International Development contract to develop curriculum for the University of Cameroon in Dchang, Cameroon, Africa.

After retiring, Dr. Spinks began life as a gentleman farmer in Franklin County, North Carolina, growing a variety of fruit trees and landscaping shrubbery. He was active in the local Republican Party and the American Legion post. In 2003, Dr. Spinks and his wife moved to the Asbury-Solomons Continuing Care Community.A memorial service is scheduled for Friday, March 23, 2007, at 1:30 PM, in the auditorium of Asbury-Solomons. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Hospice of St. Mary’s County, Maryland, or the Benevolent Care Fund of Asbury-Solomons. Inurnment at Arlington National Cemetery will follow at a later date.

Paid Obituary