Former Astronaut High football player was devoted husband and exceptional father
Richard Bartley Spangler, 63, devoted husband and exceptional father, passed away peacefully on Monday, April 20, at home, enveloped in the love of his family. Bart, an Astronaut High School football player, spent the first 28 years of his career at Kennedy Space Center, working on the Space Shuttle program, where he steadily rose through the ranks and built lasting friendships with colleagues he would treasure for the rest of his life.
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Richard Bartley Spangler, 63, devoted husband and exceptional father, passed away peacefully on Monday, April 20, at home — enveloped in the love of his family.
Known to nearly everyone as Bart, he was born in Titusville, Florida, on November 28, 1962.
Bart spent the first 28 years of his career at Kennedy Space Center working on the Space Shuttle program, where he steadily climbed the ranks and built lasting friendships with colleagues he would treasure for the rest of his life.
When the shuttle program concluded in 2011, Bart transitioned to GE and later Alstom, where he contributed his talents to railroad signaling until his retirement.
Those later years brought a new kind of adventure — whenever work took him abroad, Bart made a point of bringing his wife Andrea along.
Together they explored France and several other European countries, creating memories that would stay with them always.
As meaningful as Bart’s professional legacy was, it pales in comparison to the impact he had on the people he loved — most especially his wife Andrea, and his two sons, Shane and Josh.
Bart was a constant, unwavering presence through years of youth sports, from the time the boys were three years old through high school.
As they grew, few things brought him more joy than a round of golf with his sons and their friends. Those moments were countless and priceless, and they will be carried forward forever.
Bart never let a moment pass without telling his family exactly how much he loved them and how proud he was — proud to be a husband, a dad, a son, a brother, a father-in-law, and a Pop Pop.
His two grandsons, Slade and Shep, held a completely special place in his heart.
The gentle firmness, discipline, and work ethic he instilled in his sons seemed to melt away the instant those boys were near — replaced by pure, uncomplicated joy.
Slade and Shep felt it too, and they gave it right back to him.
Bart had a gift for lighting up every room he entered. He was the life of the party and always the first to offer a helping hand.
Remarkably handy, he built several of his own homes over the years and completed countless renovations — even going on to obtain his general contractor’s license.
He loved being on the water, whether on a surfboard or behind the wheel of a boat, and carried a lifelong sense of adventure.
He never let Andrea sit still for too long, always finding a reason to get out and explore, even if it was just a long, meandering drive to see what was around the next bend.
Bart was a natural athlete throughout his life.
He played football at Astronaut High School and carried that competitive spirit well into adulthood, taking up running and triathlons in his 20s and 30s, including a half Ironman.
His dedication earned him a top ranking in his age division, a quiet accomplishment that spoke volumes about the kind of man he was — one who never did anything halfway.
In retirement, that spirit of adventure found a new gear. Bart and Andrea spent two summers traveling the country in their fifth wheel — one journey up the Eastern Seaboard to Maine, during which Bart visited Gettysburg.
A lifelong history buff, this was a long-cherished bucket list moment that did not disappoint.
Just last summer, they traveled through Michigan, Montana, and Canada, soaking in breathtaking landscapes and savoring every mile alongside dear friends of many years.
That same drive and devotion to craft extended into another passion close to his heart — the frame-up restoration of a 1964 Chevrolet Corvette C2.
Bart poured himself into that project alongside good friends, and while he came heartbreakingly close to seeing it finished, we have every confidence that somewhere in heaven he is behind the wheel of something just as beautiful — if not considerably nicer.
Bart left a lasting imprint on everyone fortunate enough to know him.
We take comfort in knowing that pieces of him will live on — in perpetuity — through his family and the many friends whose lives he made brighter.
Throughout his illness, Bart’s faith never wavered — if anything, it deepened. Even amid great suffering, he continued to praise God with a sincerity and joy that humbled everyone around him.
He surrendered himself completely to the Lord and faced the end of his earthly life with a peace that surpassed all understanding.
Our family draws immeasurable comfort from the assurance that because of his faith, we will one day see him again in eternity.
Bart is survived by his beloved wife, Andrea; his two sons, Shane (Lori) and Joshua; his parents, Shirley and Jerry Solomon; his sister, Regina (Rick) Willinghurst, and their five children; his father-in-law, Lamar Hudgins; and his brothers and sisters-in-law, Suzanne (Brett) Raulerson, Randy (Karen) Hudgins, Melanie (Dan) Aton, Mark (Marlaine) Hudgins, and David (Lauralyn) Hudgins — as well as many beloved cousins, nieces, nephews, and cherished friends.
Bart was preceded in death by his father, Clyde Richard Spangler; his niece, Susan Williams-Smith; and his mother-in-law, Annette Hudgins.
Funeral services for Bart were held on Saturday, April 25, at the First Baptist Church in Mims.
