Don Sheree Spear - Obituary

on Sheree Bryant Spear, daughter of the late Master Gunnery Sgt. William F. Bryant, Sr., USMC (retired) and the late Blossom Leona Dean Bryant, was born on August 9th, 1954, in Camp Lejeune, NC.  She departed this life on the afternoon of January 2, 2025, at the age of 70. She confessed Christ at an early age. Sheree lived a wonderful active childhood growing up with her two parents and an older brother. Sheree loved animals and after several years of begging by her and her brother, her parents finally relented, and the family got a cocker spaniel puppy which she named Jinx. She and her brother would spend hours playing with Jinx and she would often share her food with Jinx. She attended John H. Russell elementary school where she entered an essay contest sponsored by the ‘Daughters of the American Revolution’ and won an honorable mention and a trip to the DAR in Washington DC along with other students who had won awards. During this time, she developed a love of the performing arts. Her mother nurtured this interest by enrolling her in ballet, tap dancing, modern dance, and acrobatics. She would amaze the family with her remarkable flexibility. She could walk on her hands while simultaneously putting both feet behind her head. She enjoyed being before an audience and joined the drama club in junior high where she danced and sang in the school production of the musical Oklahoma entertaining friends and family. As a child, Sheree was always fascinated with exotic foreign lands, and she would fantasize about visiting such places. Her mother once told her that when she was just three years old, she actually passed through Juarez, Mexico when the family drove from Los Angeles to Quantico, VA after her father was transferred by the Marine Corps to a new duty station. After hearing what was to her very exciting news, Sheree insisted that she no longer wanted to be born in South Carolina, but preferred to be born in Mexico, and for a long time after that, when anyone asked, she would tell them that she was born in Mexico. She began studying Spanish in elementary school. She took her Spanish lessons very seriously and chose to continue throughout junior high and high school, where she joined the Spanish club and enjoyed speaking Spanish with other club members, studying various Spanish speaking cultures and taking field trips to Spanish restaurants. She would also read a Spanish cartoon strip in the newspaper whenever she could. Her post high school desire was to be an interpreter with the U.S. State Department. In July 1972, while working as a Student at the Dining Facility on Bolling AFB, DC she saw and met a young Airman Bobby J Spear. One evening while she and some friends were at the Base Pool, she was pushed into the water. She left the pool soaking wet, where Airmen Spear aided her with a towel and protection. This began a near Fifty years romance and 47 years of marriage. Sheree and Bobby married on October 15, 1977. She came close to her dream of being employed by the U.S. State Department. She obtained a job with Voice of America. At a brief time, she later worked at the U.S State Department until she decided to become a full-time mom. Sheree was a graduate of Ballou High School in Washington DC, she attended Federal City College and Chesapeake Business Institute. When her daughter was born, she decided to become a full-time mother and stay-at-home spouse. She loved cooking, shopping, and spending time with her mother on various shopping trips or just to hang out with most every day Sheree was a quite person who love to dance with Bobby and try different recipes she had seen in the many cookbooks. She is preceded in death by her parents Master Gunnery Sergeant William F. Bryant USMC (retired) and Mrs. Blossom Leona Dean Bryant. Father-in-Law Bemus Spear and Mother-in-Law Mrs. Linnie B Spear, Brother-in-Laws Freddie Spears, and David L (Deborah) Spear, Sister-in-Law Dorthy Williams. Nieces Regina Spear and Amy Williams. She is survived by her husband Bobby J Spear, Daughter Blair Shaene’ Spear, Deontae J Simms, her Grandsons Bryant J. Simms and Dylan J Simms, Step-son Donald J Henry III, Brother William F. (Anabelle Rone) Bryant II, Brother-in-Law(s) Bemus (Janice) Spear, Johnny W. (Alice) Spears, Sister-in-laws Carollyn Spear Holman, Agnes Gaynell Spear, Lynda G. (Larry W) Spear Ball Deborah (David) Spear special nephew William F. (Fatima Quander) Bryant III. A host of Nephews, Nieces, and cousins. Family and friends are invited to celebrate Don's Life Celebration on Monday, February 10 from 10-11 AM at the KALAS FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY: 6160 Oxon Hill Road, Oxon Hill, MD 20745. A memorial service will begin at 11 A.M. Inurnment will take place at 2:30 P.M. at Cheltenham Veterans Cemetery: 11301 Robert S. Crain Highway Cheltenham, MD.