Burial Date
Obituaries » NANCY C. SPEAR
SPEAR, NANCY CAROLYN TUCKER, 74, formerly of Lower Websterville, died peacefully surrounded by her husband and children on January 16, in Mayo Health and Continuing Care in Northfield. Born on January 9, 1940 at the Morrison Farm on West Hill in Barre, Nancy was the daughter of Wesley and Dorothy (Gordon) Tucker. At a young age, the family moved to Bailey Street in Barre where her dad and brothers operated the City View Dairy. She attended elementary school in Barre and graduated from Spaulding High School in 1957. While working with her brothers, she met her future husband, Merlin Spear, who was a milkman for Booth Brothers Dairy. On August 9, 1958, they were married in the Hedding United Methodist Church in Barre. For 51 years, they made their home in Websterville before residing at the Gardens in Williamstown. In earlier years, Nancy worked for the state of Vermont in Montpelier and for The Times Argus newspaper in Barre. She also was a bus driver for many years for Barre Town Elementary School and then secretary at Washington Village and Berlin Elementary schools. Most recently, she was a home health aide for Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice and drove for Green Mountain Transit bringing people to their appointments. Nancy was very active at the Websterville Baptist Church and the First Baptist Church in Barre where she sang in the choir and filled other volunteer roles. At the First Baptist Church, she also served as a deaconess, secretary, and treasurer. She was an active volunteer within the community through her membership in her home dem club, later called “The Gals.” She enjoyed the outdoors and loved to go camping and, in earlier years, snowmobiling and motorcycling with her husband. She was artistic and enjoyed making arts and crafts. In the summer of 1972, Merlin and Nancy and their family along with Doug and Jan Manning and their family traveled on a camping trip across the United States. This was a very special and memorable trip for all. For two years, each family had a large glass jar and collected enough coins to fill each one. These coins paid for their trip. To commemorate that trip, their son, Stephen Spear, ran from Los Angeles, CA to New York City, 3,081 miles, this past summer as a fundraiser for World Vision for clean water in Kenya. Nancy and Merlin tracked his trip very carefully on a map and took such pleasure in following him. She will be remembered for her never-ending energy and zest for life. Her special gift was always being there for others, especially her immediate and extended family. Survivors include her husband of 55 years, Merlin Spear of Northfield; her daughter, Laurie Foster and husband, Art of Northwood, N.H.; her son, Stephen Spear and wife, Frances of Wheaton, Ill.; seven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; her brother, Robert Tucker and wife, Joan of Williamstown; her sister, Marilyn Blake and husband, Wendell of East Barre; and her sister-in-law, Margaret (Tucker) Harlow and husband, Don of Putney; many nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was predeceased by her daughter, Wendy Spear; her brother, Raymond Tucker; and her sister, Roselyn Partridge; her grandson’s wife, Kimberly Stoltz Foster and great-grandchildren, Tori and Brett Stolz and Christa and Mykayla Foster.
