Bertha Lenore Spear (Tulia)

Amarillo, Texas-- Bertha Lenore Spear passed away on Sunday, August 4, 2024, at the age of 93. Lenore was born June 14, 1931, in Sidney, Arkansas, to John and June Cole. She was their only child. They moved to the Texas panhandle when she was 3 years old. She attended Borger High School in Borger, Texas, and graduated in 1948. She then attended Texas Women’s University in Denton, Texas, and graduated in 1952 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology, specializing in social work. Lenore worked for the Texas Welfare Department for 2 years, supporting adoptions and dependent and neglected children. She then worked for the YWCA for 3 years, first as a teenage program director and then as a young adult program director in Savannah, Georgia, and Amarillo, Texas, respectively. Following her time with the YWCA, she joined the American Cancer Society for 1 year as a volunteer director in the Big Bend area. In 1957, she married Francis Fox, who was serving in the Air Force and was stationed in Wichita, Kansas. While there she served as the volunteer director for the American Red Cross. They returned to Amarillo in 1959 and she went to work at the Atomic Energy Plant (Pantex). She remained there until her retirement in 1997. While in Amarillo, Lenore was an active member of Trinity Baptist Church and later First Baptist Church. She remarried in 1970 to Charles Spear and was happily married for 36 years, until his death. In 2009 she moved to the Dallas area to be closer to family. Lenore leaves behind 2 sons, Bruce Fox and his wife Pam of Flower Mound, Texas; and Bill Fox and his wife Vonda of Round Rock, Texas. She also leaves behind 2 grandsons, Caleb Fox and his husband Brennan Lawler of Chicago; and Jacob Fox of Flower Mound. She is preceded in death by her father John Cole, mother June Cole, and husband Charles Spear. Lenore loved God, her family and friends, and she was always willing to help others as she could. Her favorite color was purple, and she loved cardinals. She believed the red birds were a sign from God promising her that everything would be ok. Graveside services will be held at 11:00 am Saturday, August 10, 2024, in the Llano Cemetery in Amarillo, Texas. Arrangements are under the care of Kornerstone Funeral Directors of Tulia, Texas.