New Road Named In Honor Of Roy Spinks

As printed in the Troup County News (February 13, 2015)

David Bell
Staff Writer

The last piece of commercial property brokered and sold by local real estate icon Roy Spinks before his untimely death last September was what is now the new Walmart Neighborhood Market on LaFayette Parkway. Therefore, as a tribute to his efforts, as well as a lifelong commitment to business development throughout the community, the road leading to the store from the parkway has officially been named Roy Spinks Drive.

The LaGrange City Council heard the second reading and gave final approval to an ordinance on Tuesday authorizing the name designation, followed by an unveiling of the road sign during a special ceremony Wednesday morning, which was attended by members of Mr. Spinks’ family.

“Roy lived by a very simple agenda – he put faith, family and the future of this community first, and he did business with unquestionable integrity”, said LaGrange Mayor Jim Thornton. “The council and I are honored to memorialize his more than 40 years of service to our community”.

Roy Spinks passed away on September 17, 2014, after battling a rare illness known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, a degenerative brain disorder that affects about one in every one-million people per year worldwide. The illness usually appears later in life and has a mortality rate of 90 percent for those diagnosed within the first year.

Mr. Spinks was a senior partner with Coldwell Banker Spinks-Brown-Durand Realtors in LaGrange, and was a member of the national, state and local realtor associations. He was also very active in community and civic organizations as President of Twin Cedars Foundation, Community Bank and Trust Board, and the LaGrange College Center for Community Studies.

Among other positions spanning three decades, Mr. Spinks was Past Chairman of the Troup County Airport Authority, West Georgia Tech Foundation, Troup County Transportation Authority and LaGrange-Troup County Chamber of Commerce. He also served as Past President of United Way of West Georgia, LaGrange Lions Club and Highland Country Club.

“Throughout his life as a business and civic leader, Roy’s dedication and commitment to excellence made a positive impact on all of us, and we are still reaping the benefits today”, added Mayor Thornton at the conclusion of Wednesday’s ceremony.