Robert B. Spiers, Jr. passed away on November 16, 2025 at the age of 97. He was born on February 4, 1928 in Thomas County, Georgia to the late Robert B. Sr. and Alva Lee Carlton Spiers. At age 14 his family moved to Richmond, Virginia where he attended and graduated from John Marshall High School and its cadet corps; where he attained the rank of First Battalion Captain. After graduation he joined the US Navy in 1946 where he served on a destroyer in the Pacific Theater for two years. He attained the rank of Fire Controlman 3rd Class. He was honorably discharged receiving the World War II Victory Medal. Robert then attended the University of Richmond and graduated with a BS Degree in Physics. He was immediately hired upon graduation as an employee at the NACA/NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA. While there he performed research and development of optical instruments in support of the center's aeronautical and space programs until his retirement in 1983. After retirement from NASA, he continued consulting for NASA as an employee of the Bionetics Corp. and the STX Corp. until his final retirement in 1991. He was awarded the NASA Public Service Medal as a result of his participation in the optical design, testing and calibration of a flight worthy radiometer for the NASA Halogen Occultation Experiment, which was part of NASA's Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite Program.
Robert was a member of Southern Baptist Churches all of his life. He started in the Cradle Department at First Baptist Church in Thomasville, GA and finally became a member of the Hilton Baptist Church in Newport News, VA. At Hilton he was active as a deacon, Sunday School teacher, instructor of the Royal Ambassador Boys' Mission program and the Baptist Men's Mission program. He received much joy and satisfaction serving his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, with the many loving believers he encountered throughout his life. He was also a member of the Warwick Ruritan Club where he served two years as its president.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Joyce Whitlow and three sisters and their husbands: Sarah Goodwyn (Robert), Betty Carr (Jack), Trevor Anne Phelps (Jim). He is survived by a brother, Conway; three sons: Mark (Vicky), Neil (Debbie), Dean (Laura); twelve grandchildren, Jason, Bret (Kelly), Seth (Nicole), Krista Ianuzzi (Greg), Laurie Starkey (Josh), Lisa Hughes (Wes), Aaron (Nicki), Jessica Broaddus (Jake), Robert, Zoey Daknis (Chase), Alex Gillaspie and Adam Gillaspie; and 17 beautiful great-grandchildren.
A visitation will be held on Saturday, November 22, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. at W.J. Smith and Son Funeral Home, 210 Harpersville Rd., Newport News, VA 23601, followed by a funeral service at 2:00 p.m. Interment will be private.
Donations in memory of Robert can be made to a charity of your choice.