Shirley Belle Spear, 80, of Hamshire, died Thursday, April 24, 2014. She was born January 13, 1934, in Comfort, West Virginia, to Emma Lee Sandefur Mays and Howard James Mays. Shirley has been a resident of the Hamshire area for nine years and was retired after thirty-nine years as a teacher in the Wink-Loving Independent School District.

Shirley grew up with her two brothers in West Virginia, Oklahoma, and Andrews, Texas, where she graduated from High School in 1952.  She met the love of her life during her senior year and married Bill Spear July 19, 1952.  They had Sheri a year later and Dena five years after that.  She and Billy moved to Wink, Texas, in 1958, where they worked their entire careers as educators at Wink I.S.D.

Shirley graduated from Sul Ross University around 1962 with a degree in Elementary Education and received her Master’s in Counseling from the University of Texas Permian Basin.  As an Elementary English teacher and state-wide writing consultant, she helped the children of Texas achieve success in the writing portion of the State test.

After raising their daughters, Shirley and Billy enjoyed spending their holidays and summer vacations in the mountains of Ruidoso, New Mexico.  They also enjoyed traveling in their motor home.  Shirley’s tender heart was evident in her loving care and dedication to her cats.  In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Humane Society of Beaumont, Texas.

Mrs. Spear is survived by daughters, Sheri Drawhorn and her fiancé, Barry Smith of Nederland; Dena Dickson and her husband, Jeff, of Houston; grandchildren, Dustin Drawhorn, of San Jose, California and Christi Drawhorn, of Chicago, Illinois; great-grandson, James Hayden Brown of College Station; brothers, William Mays and his wife, Winona, of Longview and James Mays and his wife, Linda, of Van; half-brother, Howard Mays, Jr., and his wife, Dee, of Mesa, Arizona. She was preceded in death by her loving husband of forty-two years, Bill Spear. He was also a loving father and grandfather.

A gathering of Mrs. Spear’s family and friends will be from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Monday, April 28, 2014, at Broussard’s, 134 West Buccaneer Drive, Winnie. Her graveside service will be 2:00 p.m., Thursday, May 1, 2014, at Kermit Cemetery, in Kermit, Texas.