Jay H Spear

Jay H Spear, 89 yrs old and long-time resident of Heber, Arizona left his earthly home to return to his heavenly home surrounded by his adoring family Saturday night 28 May 2016 at the Summit Healthcare Regional Medical Center in Show Low, Arizona.     The first of Lawrence George Spear and Mary Elsie Wheeler’s 6 children, Jay was born 13 April 1927 behind the post office in Cortez, Colorado. He graduated from Snowflake High School in 1945. To his mother’s delight, at age 17 he was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the same day as his sister and father. Being drafted into the Army during WWII, he served mainly at Camp Hood Texas and was honorably released as a sergeant on March 13, 1947. On furlough, his cousin introduced him to Ruby Lee Maynes at a dance in Cortez, CO.  He made Ruby his wife in the LDS Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah on June 27, 1947.       To their union were born 5 daughters. To support his family he took ever-increasingly better jobs in Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Oregon.  He and Ruby were unafraid to pull up roots and move time after time for a better job or a better home.  He settled into the insurance business and became an underwriter, owning his own company, US Underwriters.   At age 55 he sold his business and retired so he and Ruby could serve multiple missions for the Lord they so deeply loved.        Jay is survived by his wife Ruby; daughters Trudy (and Kent) Thurgood of Veyo, UT, Jeannie (and Jeff) Larson of Provo, UT, Dawna (and Ray) Booth of Eagle, ID, Paula (and Steve) Johnson of Gresham, OR, and Brenda Giblin of  Lake Oswego, OR.; 19 Grandchildren, 48 Great-Grandchildren  and one Great-Great Grandson; a sister Patty (and Lanar dec.) Cluff of Overgaard, AZ and 3 brothers: Larry (and Beth) Spear of  Overgaard, AZ, Joe (and Marilyn) Spear of Payson, AZ and Denny (and Karen dec.) Spear of  Payson, AZ.  He was preceded in death by his parents and sister Naoma Corbin, and 3 Great Grandchildren.     Funeral services will be held at the LDS Church in Heber, AZ, Hwy 260, at 12:00 noon Saturday June 4, 2016. Interment will be in the Heber Cemetery.