Mary Louise (Whitaker) Spear

Mary Louise Whitaker Spear was born May 21, 1931 to Lester Lee Whitaker and Clara Mae Grubbs Whitaker in Cushing, OK.  She entered Heaven on December 3, 2016. She was one of six children.  Her siblings include, Hullet Whitaker, Patsy Whitaker Combs, Darrel Don Whitaker, Thomas Lee Whitaker, and Brenda Whitaker Lowery.She attended Ripley elementary school and Cushing High School.On October 23, 1946 she married Willis Henry Walker.  To that marriage three daughters were born. Mary Ann Walker Ethridge and husband Don of Cushing, OK, Jayne Walker Schmitt and husband Richard of Sacramento, CA, and Myra Walker Newton and husband Robert of Hot Springs, AR.  She had seven grandchildren, Stephanie Ethridge and husband Bill of Cushing, Lori Ethridge Williams of Cushing, Bradlee Ethridge and wife Amy of Cushing, Shannon Abney McConnachie and husband James of Lincoln, CA, Melissa Abney Milo and husband Elliott of Cutrus Heights, CA, Krystal Smith and husband Gary of Shawnee, OK, and Kevin Newton and wife Alexis of Hot Springs, AR.  She had twenty Great-Grandchildren, Abigail Pool, Robby Pool, Jordan Williams, Hannah Williams, Macy Williams, Jacey Williams, Bentley Williams, Jagger Williams, Statler Ethridge, Stetson Ethridge, Stevie Kate Ethridge and Stiles Ethridge, Ethan Albers, Braden Albers, Clay McConnachie, Walker Smith, Addison Smith, Embrie Smith, Vallory Newton, and Zander Newton.Mary & husband Willis Walker reared their children in Cushing until he was called into the ministry and pastored a church at Liberty Free Will Baptist Church east of Drumright and at the Stroud Free Will Baptist Church.  She was the church song leader.Mary and her husband Max Spear operated the Brannons Supermarket in Shawnee from 1969-1977.She was a great seamstress and wonderful cook.  She enjoyed the work of housekeeping and later enjoyed the public while working at the store. She loved to travel.  When she was young she would save her lunch money to buy a new pair of shoes.  Shoes were always her favorite purchase.  She attended Immanuel Baptist Church.Mary was preceded in death by her parents, all of her siblings, and both husbands. She has two surviving sisters-in-law: Mildred Whitaker and Lorene Whitaker.