Billy Don Spears

Billy Don Spears, 88, of Tulsa, Okla., passed away Monday, Jan. 15, 2018, in Tulsa. He was born Feb. 18, 1929, in Cincinnati, Ark., the son of Roy Eugene Spears and Barbara Ruth (Smith) Spears.

He was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ark., where he grew up on the old Dave Smith farm. He went to John Brown University, not long after his marriage to Mary Lou Willis Spears on Oct. 29, 1949, they moved to Tulsa. He worked many types of jobs, mostly in the aircraft industry; after 27 years at Rockwell he retired. His pass times were hunting, fishing and camping. He loved to garden. He started out growing all fruits and vegetables, until Mary couldn’t keep up the canning and freezing, so he added roses, then other flowers. He loved the challenge of propagation by cuttings and growing from seeds. He did this until his stroke in November of 2014. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge.

He was preceded in death by his infant son, Larry Don Spears; his mother, Ruth Spears; his father, Roy Eugene Spears; stepmother, Edna Jane Gardisser Spears; and sister, Sue Carol Spears Cheatham.

Survivors include his wife of 68 years, Mary Lou Spears; one son, Roger Alan Spears; one daughter, Paula Karen Willoughby; seven grandchildren, Steven Roberts, Sammy Roberts, Samantha Roberts Hendrickson, Joshua Willoughby, Noah Willoughby, Zachariah Willoughby and Luke Willoughby; 13 greatgrandchildren; one sister, Betty Joann Spears Kahler of Mexico; and brother, Roy Gene Spears and wife Carol of West Virginia.

Funeral Service was held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, at Summers Missionary Baptist Church with burial in the in Old Union Cemetery.

Online guest book, www. luginbuel.com.

Luginbuel Funeral Home of Prairie Grove, Ark., was in charge of arrangements.