Mary Isabell Chaney Spearman, 91, widow of the late Col. Franklin Albert Spearman, Jr. of Greenville, died Thursday, October 30, 2014. Born February 16, 1923 in Bovina, NY, she is a daughter of the late Clay Alexander Chaney and Elizabeth Iseli Chaney. Mary's family moved from New York to Oregon when she was two years old making the trip in two model T Fords to accommodate her large family. She graduated from Estacada High School and attended Business College in Portland, OR during WWII. Upon graduation, she accepted a position with the Department of Commerce and later moved to Washington, D.C. to work at the War Department. While working in Washington, D.C. she met and married the love of her life, Col. Franklin Albert Spearman, Jr., June 27, 1942 and together they had five children. Due to Frank's work Mary and he lived in Spartanburg, SC, Grand Rapids, MI, Birmingham, Al, Lon Island, NY, Houston, TX, and Macon and Atlanta, GA before retiring to Greenville, SC. After Frank's retirement they traveled extensively throughout the world. Mary was a member of Taylors Baptist Church and had been an active church member wherever she was living. She had lead the Woman's Missionary group, served on the Baptist Association staff, lead church blood drives, and worked in Bible School. Mary also was a member of the Daughter's of the American Revolution and served as an officer in the Nathanael Green Chapter. She loved to sew, bake, play the piano, dulcimer, and had a gift for poetry. She wrote personal Valentine's Day poems to her husband each of the 57 years they were married. Mary was the last member of her immediate family. Mary is survived by three sons, Franklin Spearman and wife Deborah of Fort Valley, GA, Charles Spearman and wife Beth of Shiloh, TN, and Alan Spearman and wife Kelley of Easley, SC; three grandchildren, Jennifer Spearman Aldin of Athens, GA, Franklin A. Spearman, IV and wife Zenaida of Easley, SC, and Kendall Spearman of Easley, SC; and four great grandchildren, Maggie Aldin, Scott Aldin, Mark Aldin, and Nat Aldin all of Athens, GA. In addition to her loving husband, she was preceded in death by a son, Timothy Clay Spearman; a daughter, Susan Kay Spearman; four sisters, Irene Schmidt, Nedra Widerholdt, Sally, and Dorothy Beck; and three brothers, Jim Chaney, Pete Chaney, and Don Chaney. A graveside service will be held Monday, November 3, 2014 at 2:30 p.m. in the Williamston City Cemetery with The Reverend Don Aldin officiating. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Taylors First Baptist Church, 200 West Main St., Taylors, SC 29687. Thomas McAfee Funeral Home, Northwest.
