SPEARS, Edwin
Posted: June 18th, 2021
SPEARS
July 18, 1933 – June 11, 2021
EDWIN UTAH SPEARS passed away in Lethbridge with his daughters by his side, on Friday, June 11, 2021, just shy of his 88th birthday.
Ed is survived by his three daughters from his marriage to Hilda McDonald: Modena Spears and daughter, Aurora; Melinda (Tom) Havlas; Melanie (Todd) Law, and their three sons: Spencer (Ariel), and four children; Wyatt (Melissa), and daughter; and Malcolm. He is also survived by his sister, Wanda Sue Smith and her daughter, Ginger (Greg) Turner; and by the children of a deceased sister, Chuck (Linda) Hornbuckle; JoLynn Gessert and two children, two grandchildren.
He is predeceased by his sister, Noka Dean Hornbuckle, his mother, Ova Lee Wisdom, and his father, Thomas Damon Spears.
In his senior year of Heavener High School, Ed was in the top of his class in mathematics for the entire state of Oklahoma. His passion throughout his life was airplanes. Because of this, he joined the U.S. Airforce to pursue his dream of flying. During his time in the military, not only did he learn to fly but he excelled in computer systems. One of the highlights of his career in the late 1960s, was working at Cape Kennedy in Florida. He provided computer support for the Poseidon missile, the second U.S. Navy nuclear-armed submarine-launched ballistic missile system. In 1973, the whole family made their way up to Canada, settling in Calgary, Alberta where Ed worked at Sperry Univac as a systems technical specialist installing and maintaining the 1100 series and training personnel. In 2003, he moved to Yellowknife to be with Modena, his oldest daughter, and Aurora, his granddaughter. All three of them eventually moved to Lethbridge, Alberta, where Ed was a much-loved resident of Blue Sky Lodge. Ed’s daughters are ever so grateful to all the staff at Blue Sky Lodge who took such good care of Ed, especially during COVID-19 restrictions.
Ed was highly intelligent with a quick-wit and a memory for poetry and song lyrics. He loved flying, fishing, pork picnic shoulder and cornbread.
At Ed’s request, there will be no funeral. A private family memorial will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to prostate cancer research in your area.
To send a condolence, please visit www.cornerstonefuneralhome.com