Tuskegee airman living in N. TX dies

Funeral arrangements are being finalized for Tuskegee Airmen Lt. Calvin Spann, who lived in North Texas.

Lt. Spann passed away over the weekend.

He was proud of his role with the Tuskegee Airmen, a historical color-barrier breaking group of aviators.

"He first of all went into the service not really understanding the politics of the war,” said Spann’s wife, Gwenelle. “He just wanted to fly planes.”

Just three months ago, Spann ot a chance to welcome his fifth grandchild and first granddaughter, Olivia.  His son, Calvin, Jr., wants to keep the awareness going for future generations.

"I just want to continue to work with my mom and whoever else would like to work with us to continue to not just him, but the legacy. He was about the legacy,” said Calvin, Jr.

Spann Sr.’s daughter, Carla, did not know her dad was a member of the elite group at first.

"He owned a restaurant,” said Carla. “He was a licensed real estate broker.”

She says she didn’t find out he was an airman until her late teens.

It was because not until the 1980s did many Tuskegee Airmen begin proudly touting their history.

Some suffered from depression once home from their groundbreaking service, only to find out commercial airlines would not hire them, even as freight pilots.

"He loved his country regardless,” said Carla. “He loved his country more, I think, than others because he loved his country even though the country had not made the progress it needed to make by then."

A GoFundMe account for medical expenses and memorial service expenses can be found at http://www.gofundme.com/LTCalvinSpann