DANNY MAURICE SPILLERS SR.
Danny Maurice Spillers Sr., as he would say, his loved ones called him Maurice and everyone else called him Danny; died Tuesday, July 21, 2020, in the Franklin Nursing Home in Franklin, TX. He was 81 years old.
He was born Nov. 4, 1938, in Mexia, to Roy and Mary Jane Johnson Spillers. He graduated Mexia High School in 1959. Maurice enjoyed FFA and playing football in school. He worked at A&P Food Store during his high school years. May 26, 1961, he married the love of his life, Katie Sue Bennett. They celebrated 59 years of marriage this year.
Maurice joined the 36th National Guard Unit in Mexia and did his basic training in 1962 in Colorado Springs, Colo., Fort Chafee, Ark., and Fort Ord, Calif. After returning from basic training he worked in the seismic, oil and gas industry and he and Katie enjoyed traveling and working in Florida, Michigan, Mississippi and Louisiana. They returned to live in Easterly in 1966, where he started his career with the Texas Department of Transportation, Robertson County, in Hearne. He worked at every position in the Highway Department, working his way up to Maintenance supervisor in 1981. He retired July 1998 with 34 years. During those years he received a 30-years Safe Operators Award and No Lost Time Accident Award. He was also awarded the Lady Bird Johnson Award for Highway Beautification. When he accepted the award and check for $1,000 from “Lady Bird,” Katie said this was the first time she had ever seen him at a loss for words. He barely got “Thank You” out of his mouth.
Danny was a member and past president of the Franklin Lions Club and past president of Texas Public Employees Association, Brazos Valley Chapter. Danny loved his farm and ranching activities, hunting and bailing hay with his grandkids, he and Katie RVing, and his love of going to Red River, N.M. Danny had a background of serving the Lord, being baptized into the First Baptist Church of pleMexia in 1960 and continuing attending church even together when he and Katie were dating. They raised their children in the Easterly Baptist Church, later moving to Unity Church in College Station and back to New Baden Baptist Church in their later years. He kept his family and co-workers entertained with his joking so many times. He was a good man.
Preceding him in death were mother-in-law and father-in-law, C.A. and Celesta Mae Bennett of Easterly; his son, Danny Jr. of San Diego, Calif.; his mother and father, Roy and Mary Spillers; and his brother, Charles Spillers of Mexia.
He is survived by his wife, Katie; daughters and sonsin-law, Shelia Kay and Tim Springer and Mary Celest and Reid Caudle, of Easterly; six grandchildren, Natalie Kay Sheffield of Salt Lake City, Utah, Nicholas Sheffield of Bryan, Michael and Kandra Fuchs of San Angelo, Charles and Katy Fuchs of Easterly, Nathan Springer of College Station, and Nicole Springer of Easterly; three great-grand children, Levi and Grayson Fuchs of Easterly and Tristan Fuchs of San Angelo; two brothers and sister-in-laws, R.P. “Pat” and Marguerite Spillers and B.R. “Bobby” and Diane Spillers of Tyler; two sisters, Linda Bell and Peggy Blanchard of Mexia; sister and brother-in-law, Mary and Ulmer Hughes of Old Union; and numerous nieces and nephews and friends.
Visitation was held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, July 23, at McCauley Funeral Home. Services were held at 10 a.m. Friday, July 23, at First Baptist Church in New Baden, TX. Freddy Burden and Marcus Sheffield officiated. A private burial followed at Spillers Family Cemetery in Easterly.
Pallbearers were Michael Fuchs, Charles Fuchs, Nicholas Sheffield, Nathan Springer, Jerry Jones and John Sifuentes.
