Lily Lois McClanahan Speer was born in Mont Belvieu, Texas on January 5, 1940 to Lela Holleman McClanahan and Hugh “Pete” McClanahan. She passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 14th at her home in Mont Belvieu with her husband Bob Lee and son David by her side.
Lily was born, raised and lived out her life in Barbers Hill as it was often referred to in those days. It was here she met and married her high school sweetheart, Gordon Speer, the father of her three boys. She lived a carefree life of raising three rowdy boys, David, Kevin and Bill while trying to maintain some sort of decorum. She also welcomed the help of her parents Lela and Pete McClanhan and in-laws, Myrtle and Aubrey “Bill” Speer. She worked, when time allowed, at her in-law’s restaurant, Speer’s Steak House. Her early adult years on Winfree Street with Gordon, were spent playing dominos in the evenings with friends, taking the boys to the “Barbers Hill Country Club” to swim and dragging all three to the Mont Belvieu Methodist Church on Sunday mornings.
Raising three growing boys meant spending much time in the kitchen making favorites of fried chicken, chicken fried steak and homemade pancakes. She later shared her love of cooking by making pies for her sons, grandson Parker and great-grandson Cole for birthdays, being under the weather, a job well done and for no other reason, than to say I love you!
After the boys were in school, Lily attended the University of Houston at Clear Lake and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education. She was employed by Barbers Hill ISD teaching for 11 years. She continued her education and received her Masters of Library Science. She then left the classroom and spent her last 19 years as the Librarian at Barbers Hill Primary School. She made many lifelong friends while teaching but her most coveted memories were having all six of her grandchildren in the building while she was there. She was very involved and committed to the Accelerated Reader Program and was most recently honored by the Charles Nash Elementary School in Fort Worth, Texas, a low-income public school. The school gave the top Accelerated Reader in 2nd – 5th grades a brand-new bike and named the award the “Lily Speer Accelerated Reader Award”.
She was a devoted Mother and Grandmother attending many, if not all, of their numerous activities. She never turned down an opportunity to be present and didn’t mind traveling the miles it took to get there. Her grandchildren were loved by her unconditionally and her life was so enriched with them in it!
Lily taught herself to sew and even mastered making Easter suits for the boys. She continued her love of sewing bequeathing a handmade quilt to every family member. In her later years, being married to Bob, she enjoyed being the City of Mont Belvieu Mayor’s wife and all the perks that went with it. Recently, the social activity she looked most forward to was playing bridge with her friends at the Barbers Hill and Baytown Bridge Clubs.
Lily is survived by her patient and loving husband Bob Lee. Her boys and spouses David and Elenice, Kevin and Paige and Bill and Debbie; grandchildren Sydni and Ray Nelson, Brandea and Carmine Battista, Madison Speer, Shelbea and Will Henderson, Caroline and Marshall Watts and Parker Speer and Fiancée Jasmine Torres. Her nine great-grandchildren: Cole, Kennedy, William, Peter, Konley, James, Warren, Chapel Grace and Fletcher. She is also survived by her twin brother, Pete McClanahan of Huntsville, Texas and his sons, Mike and Dan McClanahan and families.
Services will be held at Earthman Baytown Funeral Home Chapel in Baytown, Texas on Monday, May 20th. Visitation will be from 9:00 – 10:00 am with a short service to follow. A graveside service will be at 2:00 pm that afternoon at Oakwood Cemetery in Cold Springs, Texas. Honoring the family by serving as pallbearers will be Parker Speer, Cole Ackerman, Ray Nelson, Carmine Battista, Will Henderson and Marshall Watts.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Lily Speer Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o the Barbers Hill Scholarship Association, P. O. Box 904, Mont Belvieu, Texas 77580 or a charity of your choice.
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