Elizabeth Spears (née Green), 1950–2025

Elizabeth (Betty) Helen Spears (née Green) was born in Fall River, Massachusetts, in 1950 to James and Loretta Green (née Paul). As the daughter of a U.S. Navy serviceman, she grew up moving frequently with her family. A later move to Homestead, Florida, proved life-changing—it was there she met and, in July 1967, married the love of her life, Stephen M. Spears of Graceville, Florida, who was stationed in Homestead while serving in the U.S. Air Force.

Elizabeth and Stephen shared more than 58 years together. In 2017, they renewed their vows on the occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary at the Florida State Hospital’s historic Apalachicola Arsenal Museum in Chattahoochee, Florida. The celebration was well attended, and the staff marked the occasion by displaying newspaper clippings recounting stories of the Spears family over the years. She was a resident of Jackson County, Florida, for more than 35 years.

Elizabeth is survived by her devoted husband, Stephen; their three children, Suzane Hatcher (Richard), Eric Spears, and Christy Matthews (Robert); her grandchildren McKenzie Connor, Kelsey Holt (Butch), and Gabriel Matthews; and her great-grandchildren Conner, Brynley, Asher, Summer, and Autumn. She is also survived by her sister, Noreen, and her brothers, James and Richard. She was preceded in death by her parents and by her sister, Dawn Marie.

For more than two decades, Elizabeth worked in human resources at the Florida State Hospital in Chattahoochee, retiring in 2000. She enjoyed traveling widely across the United States and abroad, gardening, bowling, horseback riding, and spending time with her family. She had a strong spirit of adventure and was always ready to travel at a moment’s notice. Elizabeth also had a deep love for food—whether cooking, sharing, or exploring new flavors—and was an avid collector of antiques, with a particular fondness for porcelain and pottery.

Those who knew her will remember her generosity, her warmth, her adventurous spirit, her love of family, and the way she was always the first to say, “I love you.” Above all, she cherished her role as a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She will be dearly missed.