Daughter of Sherwood Anderson
MADISON - Mrs. Marion "Mimi" Anderson Spear died Saturday, Jan. 20, 1996, at her home, after a long illness. She was 84.
Born in Elyria, Ohio, on Oct. 29, 1911, Mrs. Spear was the only daughter of American novelist and short-story writer, Sherwood Anderson. Her mother was the late Cornelia Lane Anderson, a native of Toledo, Ohio.
Mrs. Spear was the widow of Russell M. Spear of Madison, editor of The Messenger there for more than 40 years.
A newspaper woman, known for her community activism and fiesty column, "some Like It Hot," Mrs. Spear came to Madison from Amherst, Mass., with her husband in 1934.
The newlyweds bought the town's weekly newspaper, The Messenger. She and her husband were strong supporters of the civil rights movement during the 1950s and 1960s. Mrs. Spear was the paper's business manager for the 50 years her family owned the newspaper.
Soon after moving to Madison, Mrs. Spear also started the town's first public Library, which operated initially from the newspaper office. After much lobbying, Mrs. Spear and other advocates persuaded the Town of Madison to pass a Library bond and a municipal Library was established.
Mrs. Spear served as a long-time member of the Rockingham County Library Board and was a devoted patron of regional arts. She grew up in Michigan City, Ind., after moving there from Elyria. She also lived for a time in Chicago and in Marion, Va. She traveled on the SS Roosevelt with her father in November 1926 to Paris where she received her college preparatory education. She returned to the United States to attend the University of Chicago where she studied English.
After retiring in 1984, Mrs. Spear pursued her long-time hobby of pottery making. She also traveled to Canada annually to study French and she took study tours of China, Morocco, Australia, Mexico and Brazil. Mrs. Spear, who as a teenager, saw Lindbergh land in Paris, also witnessed the riots at Tiananmen Square in Beijing.
She is survived by a daughter, Karlyn Spear Shankland of Jamestown; sons, David M. Spear of Madison and Michael M. Spear of Richmond, Va.; grandchildren, Susie Spear Cloos of Fairhope, Ala., Margo Shankland of Greensboro, Paul Shankland of Norfolk, Va., Abraham Spear and Anna K. Spear, both of Richmond, Va., Tippie Spear Therrien of Central Bridge, N.Y., John Spear of Moonachie, N.J.; and a step-granddaughter, Adrienne Hildreth of Madison. Mrs. Spear is also survived by seven great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Madison Public Library.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Rockingham County, P.O. Box 281, Wentworth, NC 27375; or the Sherwood Anderson Foundation, P.O. Box 266, Madison, NC 27025. Edition: ALL
Page: B7
Copyright (c) 1996 Greensboro News & Record
MADISON - Mrs. Marion "Mimi" Anderson Spear died Saturday, Jan. 20, 1996, at her home, after a long illness. She was 84.
Born in Elyria, Ohio, on Oct. 29, 1911, Mrs. Spear was the only daughter of American novelist and short-story writer, Sherwood Anderson. Her mother was the late Cornelia Lane Anderson, a native of Toledo, Ohio.
Mrs. Spear was the widow of Russell M. Spear of Madison, editor of The Messenger there for more than 40 years.
A newspaper woman, known for her community activism and fiesty column, "some Like It Hot," Mrs. Spear came to Madison from Amherst, Mass., with her husband in 1934.
The newlyweds bought the town's weekly newspaper, The Messenger. She and her husband were strong supporters of the civil rights movement during the 1950s and 1960s. Mrs. Spear was the paper's business manager for the 50 years her family owned the newspaper.
Soon after moving to Madison, Mrs. Spear also started the town's first public Library, which operated initially from the newspaper office. After much lobbying, Mrs. Spear and other advocates persuaded the Town of Madison to pass a Library bond and a municipal Library was established.
Mrs. Spear served as a long-time member of the Rockingham County Library Board and was a devoted patron of regional arts. She grew up in Michigan City, Ind., after moving there from Elyria. She also lived for a time in Chicago and in Marion, Va. She traveled on the SS Roosevelt with her father in November 1926 to Paris where she received her college preparatory education. She returned to the United States to attend the University of Chicago where she studied English.
After retiring in 1984, Mrs. Spear pursued her long-time hobby of pottery making. She also traveled to Canada annually to study French and she took study tours of China, Morocco, Australia, Mexico and Brazil. Mrs. Spear, who as a teenager, saw Lindbergh land in Paris, also witnessed the riots at Tiananmen Square in Beijing.
She is survived by a daughter, Karlyn Spear Shankland of Jamestown; sons, David M. Spear of Madison and Michael M. Spear of Richmond, Va.; grandchildren, Susie Spear Cloos of Fairhope, Ala., Margo Shankland of Greensboro, Paul Shankland of Norfolk, Va., Abraham Spear and Anna K. Spear, both of Richmond, Va., Tippie Spear Therrien of Central Bridge, N.Y., John Spear of Moonachie, N.J.; and a step-granddaughter, Adrienne Hildreth of Madison. Mrs. Spear is also survived by seven great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Madison Public Library.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Rockingham County, P.O. Box 281, Wentworth, NC 27375; or the Sherwood Anderson Foundation, P.O. Box 266, Madison, NC 27025. Edition: ALL
Page: B7
Copyright (c) 1996 Greensboro News & Record
Daughter of Sherwood Anderson
MADISON - Mrs. Marion "Mimi" Anderson Spear died Saturday, Jan. 20, 1996, at her home, after a long illness. She was 84.
Born in Elyria, Ohio, on Oct. 29, 1911, Mrs. Spear was the only daughter of American novelist and short-story writer, Sherwood Anderson. Her mother was the late Cornelia Lane Anderson, a native of Toledo, Ohio.
Mrs. Spear was the widow of Russell M. Spear of Madison, editor of The Messenger there for more than 40 years.
A newspaper woman, known for her community activism and fiesty column, "some Like It Hot," Mrs. Spear came to Madison from Amherst, Mass., with her husband in 1934.
The newlyweds bought the town's weekly newspaper, The Messenger. She and her husband were strong supporters of the civil rights movement during the 1950s and 1960s. Mrs. Spear was the paper's business manager for the 50 years her family owned the newspaper.
Soon after moving to Madison, Mrs. Spear also started the town's first public Library, which operated initially from the newspaper office. After much lobbying, Mrs. Spear and other advocates persuaded the Town of Madison to pass a Library bond and a municipal Library was established.
Mrs. Spear served as a long-time member of the Rockingham County Library Board and was a devoted patron of regional arts. She grew up in Michigan City, Ind., after moving there from Elyria. She also lived for a time in Chicago and in Marion, Va. She traveled on the SS Roosevelt with her father in November 1926 to Paris where she received her college preparatory education. She returned to the United States to attend the University of Chicago where she studied English.
After retiring in 1984, Mrs. Spear pursued her long-time hobby of pottery making. She also traveled to Canada annually to study French and she took study tours of China, Morocco, Australia, Mexico and Brazil. Mrs. Spear, who as a teenager, saw Lindbergh land in Paris, also witnessed the riots at Tiananmen Square in Beijing.
She is survived by a daughter, Karlyn Spear Shankland of Jamestown; sons, David M. Spear of Madison and Michael M. Spear of Richmond, Va.; grandchildren, Susie Spear Cloos of Fairhope, Ala., Margo Shankland of Greensboro, Paul Shankland of Norfolk, Va., Abraham Spear and Anna K. Spear, both of Richmond, Va., Tippie Spear Therrien of Central Bridge, N.Y., John Spear of Moonachie, N.J.; and a step-granddaughter, Adrienne Hildreth of Madison. Mrs. Spear is also survived by seven great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Madison Public Library.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Rockingham County, P.O. Box 281, Wentworth, NC 27375; or the Sherwood Anderson Foundation, P.O. Box 266, Madison, NC 27025. Edition: ALL
Page: B7
Copyright (c) 1996 Greensboro News & Record
MADISON - Mrs. Marion "Mimi" Anderson Spear died Saturday, Jan. 20, 1996, at her home, after a long illness. She was 84.
Born in Elyria, Ohio, on Oct. 29, 1911, Mrs. Spear was the only daughter of American novelist and short-story writer, Sherwood Anderson. Her mother was the late Cornelia Lane Anderson, a native of Toledo, Ohio.
Mrs. Spear was the widow of Russell M. Spear of Madison, editor of The Messenger there for more than 40 years.
A newspaper woman, known for her community activism and fiesty column, "some Like It Hot," Mrs. Spear came to Madison from Amherst, Mass., with her husband in 1934.
The newlyweds bought the town's weekly newspaper, The Messenger. She and her husband were strong supporters of the civil rights movement during the 1950s and 1960s. Mrs. Spear was the paper's business manager for the 50 years her family owned the newspaper.
Soon after moving to Madison, Mrs. Spear also started the town's first public Library, which operated initially from the newspaper office. After much lobbying, Mrs. Spear and other advocates persuaded the Town of Madison to pass a Library bond and a municipal Library was established.
Mrs. Spear served as a long-time member of the Rockingham County Library Board and was a devoted patron of regional arts. She grew up in Michigan City, Ind., after moving there from Elyria. She also lived for a time in Chicago and in Marion, Va. She traveled on the SS Roosevelt with her father in November 1926 to Paris where she received her college preparatory education. She returned to the United States to attend the University of Chicago where she studied English.
After retiring in 1984, Mrs. Spear pursued her long-time hobby of pottery making. She also traveled to Canada annually to study French and she took study tours of China, Morocco, Australia, Mexico and Brazil. Mrs. Spear, who as a teenager, saw Lindbergh land in Paris, also witnessed the riots at Tiananmen Square in Beijing.
She is survived by a daughter, Karlyn Spear Shankland of Jamestown; sons, David M. Spear of Madison and Michael M. Spear of Richmond, Va.; grandchildren, Susie Spear Cloos of Fairhope, Ala., Margo Shankland of Greensboro, Paul Shankland of Norfolk, Va., Abraham Spear and Anna K. Spear, both of Richmond, Va., Tippie Spear Therrien of Central Bridge, N.Y., John Spear of Moonachie, N.J.; and a step-granddaughter, Adrienne Hildreth of Madison. Mrs. Spear is also survived by seven great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Madison Public Library.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Rockingham County, P.O. Box 281, Wentworth, NC 27375; or the Sherwood Anderson Foundation, P.O. Box 266, Madison, NC 27025. Edition: ALL
Page: B7
Copyright (c) 1996 Greensboro News & Record
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