Ethelyn Elizabeth Spear

Beth Spear died on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29, 2017 at her home in Overgaard, Navajo County, Arizona following a brief illness.  She was 79 years old.  "Beth" was born Ethelyn Elizabeth Garrett on November 21, 1937 in Eagar, Apache County, Arizona to her parents, the late Presley David and Darlene Virginia (Brockman) Garrett. Beth was a graduated member of Morenci High School's Class of 1955.  Also, that same year, she was crowned Miss Graham County and was 1st runner-up to Miss Arizona.  Not only was Beth a beautiful young lady, she was blessed with an abundance of talent and practiced a lot over the years to share those talents with others.  Beth could play just about anything on the piano and, according to the luckiest man on earth, "She sang like a meadow lark."  In her younger years, Beth sang semi-professionally with her singing group in places throughout Arizona's southwest as well as parts of New Mexico.  After she graduated high school, Beth attended Eastern Arizona College in Thatcher where she was a collegiate cheerleader.  She was always a positive role model to those around her and lived an exemplary life for her family to emulate.  Beth married the love of her life, Lawrence Guy "Larry" Spear on January 5, 1957 in Thatcher, Arizona.  A year later, on January 7, 1958, their marriage was solemnized in the Mesa Arizona Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Beth loved to go camping with her family and always appreciated the beauty of the White Mountains.  In the early 1960s, she and Larry went hunting.  During this hunting trip, Beth shot a deer at 1200 yards with an old 30-30 rifle that had homemade sites; a feat that 3 other hunters couldn't accomplish.  She bagged that deer and Larry couldn't have been more proud!  She and Larry were, and are, the loving parents of 6 children.  She was the most loving mother to her children and a cherished wife to her husband.  She taught each member of her family lifelong values that will serve them throughout the remainder of their lives.  Her faith was unwavering, even during the most difficult of times of her life. Beth is survived by:  her husband of 60 years, Larry Spear of Overgaard, Arizona; 4 children:  Shelley Darline Spear of Overgaard, Arizona, Tami Lea Bailly of Tempe, Arizona, Lawrence Garald "Gary" (Stefani) Spear of Overgaard, Arizona, Clint Steven (Kim) Spear of Burbank, California; siblings:  Presley David, Jr. (Joan) Garrett of Las Vegas, Nevada, Doris Virginia (Randy) Taylor of Amarillo, Texas; 20 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. The funeral service will begin promptly at 10:00 A.M., Saturday, June 3, 2017 at the Heber Chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Heber, Arizona where the visitation will be from 9:00 A.M. to 9:40 A.M.  The concluding service and Interment will immediately follow at the Heber Cemetery.