- Date Of Birth: June 13, 1932
- Date Of Death: July 2, 2021
- State: Florida
Josephine Hall Spears passed away peacefully in the presence of her family in Viera, Florida on July 2, 2021. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law Neil and Cassie Spears of Viera and her grandchildren Garrett and Logan. “Jo” is also survived by her niece Maggie Zentner and her nephew Bill Hall.
Jo was generous, kind, and had a strong moral center. She was very intelligent and possessed great mathematical/analytical skills. She was well read and skilled at multiple arts and crafts. She was a good Mother and friend. She will be sorely missed by her family.
A Florida native, Jo was born in Plant City to Arthur and Bertha Hall. She grew up with one older brother William McLaurine “Mc” whom she remained very close to her whole life. After graduating from high school, Jo attended the University of Florida where she earned a Batchelors degree in Mathematics in 1954.
After graduation, Jo started her career with the RCA corporation working on the Missile Test Project at Patrick Air Force Base. She was one of the pioneer computer programmers. She programmed the Florida Automatic Computer (FLAC) which was one of the first computers in the state. FLAC occupied a large room and was used by the Range Safety group to track missile trajectories. Jo was well regarded by her co-workers for her programming skills.
Jo made some life-long friends while working on the Missile Test Project. This is where she met her former husband, Gary Spears. They were married in 1959. The couple had two sons Neil and David. Jo retired from the RCA corporation after having children so she could devote herself full-time to raising them.
The family moved to Palm Beach Gardens, Florida in 1968. Jo remained in Palm Beach Gardens until 2017. In addition to raising her children, she devoted herself to many interests and pursuits. She was an avid reader. She loved reading history (especially Florida history), science, philosophy, and biographies. She also enjoyed crossword puzzles. She liked to travel, her favorite destination being Europe. She played tennis and was a member of the local women’s club. She also researched her family genealogy. Jo had a passion for arts and crafts. She was talented at drawing & painting, wood carving, pottery, sculpture, jewelry making, and stained glass.
Josephine Spears was a remarkable woman. It was a joy and honor to know her. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends.
