Bill Spears

Wilmont H. "Bill Spears, Jr., 85, of Iola, Kansas, died Saturday, April 18, 2009, at Tara Gardens in Iola, Kansas. Bill was born April 6, 1924 in Kansas City's Waldo area. He was the only child of Wilmont H. Spears, Sr., and Viola Alice Ross Spears. In 1930 the family moved from Warsaw, Missouri to Bucyrus, Kansas. Bill graduated from Wea Catholic School in 1944, and later that year was drafted into the United States Army. He proudly served our country near the end of World War II in the Philippine Islands, then Sapporo and Yokohama, Japan. Bill was honorably discharged from the Army on November 11, 1946, and a month later purchased a farm near Louisburg, Kansas. On June 22, 1952, Bill married the love of his life, Verna Jane Lee, in the First Baptist Church in Louisburg, Kansas. They were married for 53 years, until his beloved Jane passed away in 2006. The family moved to Parsons, Kansas in 1972, then moved to Ft. Scott, Kansas for a short period of time. Bill and Jane later moved to Yates Center and Iola, Kansas to be closer to their grandchildren. Hunting, fishing and woodworking were Bill's favorite past times. SURVIVORS: His 3 Children: Harrison Lee Spears & companion, Mary Easton of Arlington, Texas; Sandra Braswell & husband, George of Bonner Springs, Kansas; and Tim Spears, D.O. & wife, Kelly of Iola, Kansas 6 Grandchildren FUNERAL SERVICE: 2:00 p.m., Thursday, April 23, 2009, at the First Baptist Church in Louisburg, Kansas. The Rev. Trudy Kenyon Anderson will officiate. VISITATION: 1:00-2:00 p.m., Thursday, at the church prior to the service. BURIAL: Louisburg Cemetery with military honors. IN-STATE: Mr. Spears will lie in state at the Waugh-Yokum & Friskel Chapel in Iola on Wednesday. MEMORIAL CHOICES: Wesley United Methodist Church or Tara Garden's Memory Garden Memorial gifts may be left with the Waugh-Yokum & Friskel Memorial Chapel of Iola, which is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences for the family may be left on this website.