Bassie Spear

Bassie P. Spear, 94, of Cooks Mills, IL passed away at 7:30 P.M. Tuesday, March 25, 2008 at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center in Mattoon, IL.

Bassie was born on June 6, 1913 in rural Tompkinsville, KY. She was a daughter of
George Edgar and Mucie D. (Hammer) Cloyd. She married George Spear on October 10, 1947 in Tompkinsville, KY.

Survivors include three sons, Carl Cloyd, and his wife, Linda of Cooks Mills, IL, James Spear and his wife, Ruthann, of Hammond, IL, and John M. Spear and his wife, Karen, of Humboldt, IL; two daughters, Sue Spear of Cooks Mills, IL and Mary VanMatre and her husband, Max, of Mattoon, IL; eight grandchildren, Stephen Spear and his wife, Gloria, Patience Helmuth, Michael VanMatre and his wife, Becky, Matt VanMatre, Aaron Spear and his wife Rikki, Melinda VanMatre Hohmann and her husband, Aaron, Elizabeth Spear and John J. Spear; six step-grandchildren, Mark Connor, Penny Connor, Kim Welsh and her husband, Vince, Brian Connor, Sheila Robinson, Tim Connor; seven great-grandchildren, Devyn, Isabel, Alyssa, Clayton, Ashley, Lauren and Taylor; ten step-great-grandchildren, Max, John Vincent, Victor, Caitlin, Marissa, Brandon, Linsey, T.C., Shalynn and Logan. Also surviving are two brothers, Frank Cloyd of Mattoon, IL and J. T. Cloyd and his wife, Wilma, of Tompkinsville, KY; two sisters, Louise Hammer and her husband, Virgil, of Tompkinsville, KY and Mary Ann Hale of Lafayette, TN and several nieces and nephews.

Her parents, her husband, five brothers and three sisters preceded her in death.

Bassie enjoyed gardening, watching the birds and playing cards, especially Skip-Bo. She liked to eat her dessert before her meal and she attended the Kentucky family reunion every year. Bassie always loved to go, but always loved to come home too. She loved to go to church and her church family. She especially loved to spend time with her entire family, the kids, grandkids and great-grandkids.