Bob Spence, Former TRSA Chair, Passes On

Robert E. “Bob” Spence, Kansas City, MO, a longtime industry leader with Faultless Laundry Co., NuCentury Textile Services and a partner with U.S. Textiles LLC since 2002, passed away on Oct. 8 from an illness.

Spence, 73, had a long and distinguished career in the linen, uniform and facility services industry. This included service as TRSA president (a top elected post now known as chair) from 1997-’99. He was also CFO of the then family-owned Faultless Laundry Co., Kansas City, from 1975 to 1998. From 1998 through 2001, he was CEO of NuCentury Textile Services, Long Beach, CA. Thereafter, he remained a partner at U.S. Textiles for the rest of his life.

Faultless was acquired by ImageFIRST in May 2019. Spence’s brother Mark, a former COO at Faultless and now an operations executive with ImageFIRST, Kansas City, described his brother as a great supporter of both TRSA and the linen, uniform and facility services industry. “Bob loved the industry,” Mark said. “He loved every aspect of the industry, especially the textile laundering side, and then on the vendor side. He worked very hard at both sides of it. He really loved TRSA and his leadership roles at TRSA.” In addition to serving as president, Bob co-chaired the Government Affairs Committee and served on the TRSA Board of Directors from 1995-’97. He and his wife, Susan, also hosted an international textile services program in Paris during his time as TRSA’s elected leader.

Bob’s father, Jack Spence, also served as president of The Linen Supply Association of America (LSAA, renamed TRSA in 1979). Jack led Faultless for many years before passing away at 80 in 2008.

Bob graduated from Avila University in 1977 with a degree in business education. He also earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in 1983 through the Executive Fellows Program at Rockhurst University.

He was active for 36 years in the Church of the Nativity, where he served as an usher, Eucharistic minister and religious education teacher.

Survivors include his wife of 49 years, Susan; daughters Erin Wright (Jeremiah) and Colleen Nallia; a son, Luke; plus three grandchildren and one “honorary” grandson; siblings Martha Cason, Nancy McGuinnis, John and Mark Spence and Susan Witcher; plus many in-laws, nieces and nephews. Among the Spence siblings, several once held leadership posts at Faultless and were active in TRSA as well. Mark says he’s the only member of the Spence family who remains active in the linen, uniform and facility services industry. “I’ve always loved it, and they did too,” he says. Why has he kept going? “I had a lot of tread left on the tire,” he says. “So, I wanted to continue to have a meaningful career in the industry and was blessed to have the opportunity to do so with ImageFIRST.”

Services for Bob will include a Rosary at 1 p.m. and a visitation from 1:30-3 p.m. on Oct. 18 at McGilley State Line Chapel. A Mass of Christian burial is scheduled for 11 a.m., Monday, Oct. 19, at the Church of the Nativity. Instead of flowers, the family would welcome donations in Bob’s honor to the Parkinson’s Exercise and Wellness Center in Leawood, KS, at www.thepewc.org/give.