Dr. Charles A. Spears, known affectionately as “Doc” or “Moto”, entered heaven’s gates on April 24, 2017. He was born on July 31, 1926 in Coalgate, Oklahoma and grew up in the Arkansas hills and on the banks of the Buffalo River. He met with adversity as a young child when he lost his left eye, yet he never viewed this as a handicap. He excelled in baseball at Harrison High School, bird hunting, and later working as a surgeon – although admittedly few wanted to ride in the car when he was driving.

Doc’s work ethic was legendary. He didn’t have enough money to go to college after high school so he stayed in Harrison and rode his bike to work every day for seven years before beginning his studies at the University of Arkansas. He graduated from the University of Arkansas Medical School on June 8, 1958 and married Shirley Goode the very next day. For almost 50 years Dr. Spears served the Branson, MO and Skaggs Hospital community well, first as the quintessential country doctor making house calls, delivering babies and performing surgery and, later, adding to his practice as Medical Director at the College of the Ozarks and Chief of Staff at Point Lookout Nursing Home, as well as serving as the Taney County Coroner for 24 years. During most of the 1990’s, when he was in his 60’s and 70’s, he held all these positions simultaneously.

In 1965, Dr. Spears and three other community leaders developed Branson Heights Shopping Center, the very first strip shopping center in the area. At the time, it was outside the city limits and was at the forefront of the westward expansion of Branson along Hwy. 76.

Dr. Spears was well known for his incredible generosity. He always accepted patients regardless of their ability to pay and would literally give people the coat off his back if he thought they needed one. He’d even take Shirley’s coats out of her closet and give them away without her knowledge. He was also well known for his quick wit and hilarious storytelling.

Doc rarely took vacations, but he had a passion for hunting and fishing. He loved working on his two farms that provided wonderful turkey and deer hunting opportunities, which he enjoyed well into his 80’s.

Dr. Spears’ pride and joy was his family. He leaves behind his wife of 58 years, Shirley, and his daughter Cherie Walker and her husband Jim, sons Chip and Chris and his wife, Pamela, and granddaughters Mary Beth and Margaret Walker and Christina, Allison and Holli Anne Spears. Also left to mourn his loss are in-laws Judy and Lloyd Brown and Laveda and Joe Hughes and their children and grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Williams Memorial Chapel at The College of the Ozarks on May 13th at 10:00 a.m. with a reception following downstairs. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Boys and Girls Club of the Ozarks, 1460 Bee Creek Road, Branson, MO 65616.