William Robert "Spec" Mansell

Tupelo - William Robert "Spec" Mansell, 84, passed away Thursday, January 11, 2018, at North Mississippi Medical Center. A lifelong Tupelo native, he was born September 9, 1933, to Jack and Mary Edith Miller Mansell. On July 24, 1957, he married the love of his life, the former Martha Jo Poteet. He was affectionately called Spec by his family and friends. He proudly served his country in the United States Air Force during the Korean War and was stationed in Okinawa, Japan. He worked at PennTire for a number of years as a crew manager and Tupelo Fibers as the safety and personnel manager for several years before retiring at age 77. For several decades he was a softball umpire for Tupelo and Itawamba Community College. He also held many positions within the Amateur Softball Association. In 1985, he had a softball field dedicated to him in East Tupelo that is now named Mansell Field. He absolutely loved softball, his softball buddies and his family.