Beth Spear, 79, passed away on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29, 2017, at her home in Overgaard following a brief illness. The funeral service will begin promptly at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 3, at the Heber Chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where the visitation will be held from 9 to 9:40 a.m. The concluding service and interment will immediately follow at the Heber Cemetery. She was born Ethelyn Elizabeth Garrett Nov. 21, 1937, in Eagar to the late Presley David and Darlene Virginia (Brockman) Garrett. Beth was a graduated member of Morenci High School’s Class of 1955. That same year she was crowned Miss Graham County and was first 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 Jan. 5, 1957, in Thatcher. A year later, on Jan. 7, 1958, their marriage was solemnized in the Mesa Arizona Temple of the LDS church. She 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 1,200 yards with an old 30-30 rifle that had homemade sights; a feat that three other hunters couldn’t accomplish. She bagged that deer and Larry couldn’t have been more proud! Beth and Larry were, and are, the loving parents of six 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. Survivors include her husband of 60 years, Larry Spear of Overgaard; four children, Shelley Darline Spear of Overgaard, Tami Lea Bailly of Tempe, Lawrence Garald “Gary” (Stefani) Spear of Overgaard and Clint Steven (Kim) Spear of Burbank, Calif.; two siblings, Presley David Jr. (Joan) Garrett of Las Vegas, Nev., and Doris Virginia (Randy) Taylor of Amarillo, Texas; 20 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Owens Livingston Mortuary of Show Low was in charge of the arrangements.
