Paul Randolph Spradley, 82, of Tifton passed away Sunday, September 28, 2025, at Tift Regional Medical Center. A graveside funeral service will be held for Paul at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at Oak Ridge Cemetery, where he will be laid to rest. The Rev. Ron Lawhon will officiate. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, from 12:45 to 1:45 p.m. at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Eric Collins, David Collins, Eddie Gibbs, Jamie Mitcham, Bo Slack and Jay Spradley will serve as pallbearers.
Paul was born on October 22, 1942, in Tifton and was the son of the late James Emmett Spradley, Sr. and Mary Catherine Yale Spradley. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two sisters, Doris Spradley Chapmen and Marjorie Spradley Bergman; one brother, James Emmett Spradley, Jr.; and his mother-in-law and father-in-law, Harvey Clifford Brown and Reideth Mobley Brown.
Paul was called “Doc” by friends in high school. He played trombone in Uncle Len’s Big Blue and White Band. He graduated from Tifton High School–Class of 1960. He also served in the Georgia National Guard.
Paul was an accountant. He worked at the Bank of Tifton, Ross of Georgia, and retired from the Georgia Department of Transportation. He was a past member of the Tifton Fishing Club on the Alapaha River, the Tifton Elk’s Lodge, where he was past treasurer and “Elk of the Year” in 1982-1983.
Paul was a member of Tifton’s First Baptist Church and the past treasurer of the Boch Sunday School Class for 40 years.
Paul loved going on family vacations to Ormond Beach, Florida. He loved his grandsons, Joe William and Samuel. He attended all of their church, school and sporting events. Paul loved Christmas. He enjoyed wrapping all of the gifts at Christmas. He would spend hours wrapping gifts for the family. He and his wife, Jackie, enjoyed spending time at their cabin on the Alapaha River.
Paul is survived by his wife of 60 years, Mary Jacqueline “Jackie” Brown Spradley of Tifton; his daughter, Susan Brown Spradley Sheffield; his son-in-law, Joe William Sheffield, Sr.; his grandsons, Joe William Sheffield, Jr. and Samuel Paul Sheffield; his sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Beth Brown Collins and Don Durant Collins; and many nieces and nephews.
Paul is also survived by his grand dog, Ginger, who always received crackers from Paul when he was at Susan’s house.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Tifton’s First Baptist Church Sanctuary Renovation Fund, 404 Love Avenue, Tifton, GA 31794.