John Speed Bainbridge

John Speed Bainbridge, “Speedy,” husband of Martha Horton Bainbridge, passed away on July 18, 2026, at Spartanburg Regional Hospice Home, at the age of 92. He was born in Bessemer, Ala., to his parents William Douglas Bainbridge and Irma Norton Bainbridge.

John worked many years in the aerospace industry, first with Hayes Aircraft in Birmingham, Ala., then moving to Huntsville, Ala., with Redstone Arsenal and finally at Cape Canaveral in Florida.

He moved his family from Titusville, Fla., to Spartanburg, S.C., in 1968 and spent 27 years working at Lockwood Greene Engineers.

John also served 8 years in the Alabama Air National Guard.

He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Martha; daughters Lynn Williams of Greenville, S.C.; daughter Leesa Bainbridge and her husband Rick Sylvain of Orlando, Fla.; and Laurie Burrell of Spartanburg, S.C. He is also survived by his grandchildren Elizabeth Black of Atlanta, Ga., and Miles Burrell of Charleston, S.C., as well as great grandchildren Trent Williams of Anderson, S.C., and Journey and Daphney Black of Atlanta. He was pre-deceased by his parents, as well as brothers William Douglas Bainbridge, Jr., and Michael Bainbridge and sister Jane Meadows, all of Birmingham, and a precious grandson John Williams.

He was a longtime member of Nazareth Presbyterian Church, where he served as Sunday School Superintendent, Deacon, Elder and Sunday School teacher and worked on many committees.

Services will be held at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at Nazareth Presbyterian Church, 680 Nazareth Church Rd, Moore, S.C. 29369, with the Rev. Julie Schaaf officiating. Burial will be in the Nazareth Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, John requested memorials be made to Nazareth Presbyterian Church or Mobile Meals of Spartanburg.