Thomas Spear, Cedar County

Interviewee: Thomas Spear
Interviewer: Kate Scott
Date of Interview: October 11, 2007
Run Time: Approximately 50M

Cassette
Biographical Data Form
Oral History Release
Photographs (3) Original
Sunday Times Democrat, 1963, “They Said He’d Never Leave Bed: Though Still Handicapped, Tipton’s Jack Spear Flies His Own Plane, Farms 1,000 Acres And Is A Nationally Known Dog Show Judge,” May 20, 7D.
DeGroot, John, Unidentified Newspaper, [n.d.] “Polio Victim Flies Plane to Kent to Judge Dog Show,” [n.p.]
Murphy, Ed. Unidentified Newspaper, [n.d.] “Tipton Man Overcomes Rough Obstacles,” [n.p.]
Transcript

Jack Spear was diagnosed with polio in September of 1952 and admitted to the University of Iowa Hospital. Tom, his son, was seven years old when his father contracted polio. Jack Spear was internationally known in the world of dog breeding. He raised champion Irish Settlers and piloted his own plane. “He lived more than half his life as a polio victim,” Tom reflected. “He had a lot of aches and pains as he got older but I don’t think he was a guy to complain. He took it as it came and made the best of it and did not let it stop him from doing most anything he wanted.”