Autryville honors town pioneer

AUTRYVILLE — The town hall was at full capacity during the Town of Autryville’s final monthly scheduled board meeting for 2023, not just for the town’s annual year-end Christmas bash but to witness the honoring of Autryville pioneer R.B. Spell.

“Tonight I’ve got a little special presentation I’d like to do and I’ll try not to cry as well so you all don’t pick at me,” Mayor Grayson Spell said, following his father Terry Spell, who spoke beforehand and shed tears. “What I’ve got here is a resolution, it’s a Town of Autryville resolution, honoring Richard Bascom and Elvina Spell.”

Richard Bascom Spell (R.B.) passed away on Nov. 18, 2023, at Spring Arbor of Greensboro, N.C.. R. B. Spell was born on Jan. 7, 1929 in the Spell Town community to Muncey Spell and Hosie Crumpler Spell. He was a devoted husband of over 75 years to Elvina Autry Spell.

Spell was the proprietor of Autryville Supply in Autryville and he also served as the assistant postmaster of the Autryville Post Office. He was a faithful member of Long Branch Baptist Church, serving as a deacon, Sunday School Superintendent, Sunday School teacher, and member of countless church committees. He was also a member of the Roseboro Rotary Club, Roseboro Masonic Lodge, the Roseboro-Salemburg Area School Board, a founding member of Lakewood Country Club, and served on the Board of Directors of First Citizens Bank in Stedman.

To honor both him and his wife, mayor Spell came before those gathered that night to present an Autryville proclamation dedicated to them. Spell read aloud that proclamation so all in attendance would know of all they did to make their town what it is today.

“Whereas, the foundation of the Town of Autryville has always been the people’s willingness to work together for the common good; and whereas, Mr. and Mrs. Spell were born and raised in Autryville. They met in elementary school and have been married for over 75 years during which time they brought up their two sons, Ricky and Randy Spell, in their image of love for their fellow man; and whereas, Mr. and Mrs. Spell owned and operated Autryville Supply for many years, which quickly became a pillar of our community and remains a foundation upon which the success of Autryville has been built. Mr. Spell served his country as Assistant Postmaster of the United States Postal Service in Autryville; and whereas, as members of the Long Branch Baptist Church in Autryville, Mr. and Mrs. Spell worked in many capacities as faithful servants of God while also traveling throughout the world to teach others and help those that are less fortunate; and whereas, Mr. and Mrs. Spell served our community through fraternal philanthropic organizations, and various Boards of Directors to bring equality and prosperity to the region; and whereas, the citizens of the Town of Autryville have greatly benefited from Mr. and Mrs. Spell’s never-ending commitment to serve our community, help everyone regardless of the cost, and hold steady as role models of Christian and civic excellence.

“Now therefore, be it resolved, that Mayor Grayson Spell and the Town of Autryville Board of Commissioners hereby join the citizens of the Town of Autryville in extending its appreciation and gratitude for the vital and necessary service to our wonderful Town by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Bascom Spell. We hope that their legacy of love, duty, and faithfulness will last as an inspiration for generations to come.”

All that was left following that reading was to pass a vote by the board to accept the proclamation. The resolution was made by Mickie Spell, seconded by Kim Baker and the motion carried unanimously.

To accept the proclamation one of the honoree’s sons and former Autryville mayor Richard Spell was present to receive it in their name. He’d share words of gratitude to all those that made this homage to his parents possible.

“On behalf of my mother, she thanks you, my brother, thanks you, I thank you, my aunt Marie thanks you, we all thank you, for bestowing this proclamation upon my mom and dad today,” Richard Spell said. “They loved Autryville, it is home and it remains home for them and will always be home. We thank you for sort of encapsulating this tonight through this proclamation, appreciate you guys, thank you and good luck going forward.”

The gathering that night also served to host the town’s annual year-end Christmas party. As one of the figure heads that helped make it all possible, Terry Spell addressed the community before dinner that night. His statements were full of thank yous.

“This is your town hall and we want you to get as much use out of it as you can,” Terry Spell said. “We want you to always feel welcome here, also to always, try to come to the meetings when you can so you can hear and see what’s going on. That way you can be a part of the things that’s going on here. I don’t want to be a spoiler tonight and tell you t00 much ahead of the board stuff. I will say this — your board has worked mighty hard this year and they’ve got a bunch of money coming back.

“I’m talking about millions of dollars that’s coming back to this little town,” he said. “I’m very excited and very humbled to have you here. I want to thank Debra Baxley for our table arrangements. Miss Pat kind of started the tradition of having a Christmas dinner for the board. After she retired, we sort of picked that tradition up.

“That said, everything that happens here tonight is paid for solely by Pam and I; it’s not any town funds or anything like that,” he said. “The table cloths, the food, everything, we paid for it all, this is our gift and way to give back to the community and everything the people in this community do for us.”

While it was short, the town board did hold a brief meeting before ending the night. The major topic on the agenda was a recap by Mayor Spell on all they accomplished for Autryville in 2023. According to the mayor, that included:

• Receiving a $2 million grant for water system improvements, a $900,000 grant for stormwater improvements, a $580,000 grant for street paving, $150,000 grant for water system inventory, analysis and water rate study.

• Opening a new hair salon and Dollar General, received donated land to build a public works facility at their water tower,

• Adding 67 new houses to the town limits to date, earning $113,000 increase in tax revenue from annexations to date, while adding 10 new trash and six new water customers.

• Paving six streets, repairing two roads and a parking lot downtown, repairing 10 water leaks, putting in place stormwater plans to reduce flooding, obtaining a new conference table, fixing stormwater problems on West Vinson, Huntersview and West Old Stage.

• Putting a new flower bed in front of the Town Hall, placing a new flower bed downtown, installing pole mounted flags, holding an Easter egg hunt with 250 attendees, putting in two new Christmas lights and converting 17 more to LED.

• Implementing online water bill payments, switching to a new accounting software, establishing Bluetooth water meters, adding seven new streetlights, purchasing new water leak detection equipment, and beginning relations with Star Communications to bring affordable, reliable, high-speed internet to Autryville.