Ronald Spears, 65

Ronald Bruce Spears, 65, left this world Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, heading up the mountain trail to meet his Lord and Savior.

He was born to Opal and Lonnie Spears on Sept. 2, 1959, joining his big brother, Mark. Tragedy struck the family when they lost Mark in an accident, and eventually Opal and Lonnie divorced.

In 1966, Opal married Lee Byfield and the family moved to the property on Heath Lake Road. There, Ron grew up like any kid, surrounded by lots of aunts and uncles. He would blaze mountain trails with his uncle, Louie, and ride horses as often as possible. Working hard as a kid, bucking bales and at times working in the apple orchards. He also worked nights at the Pack River Mill while also attending high school, graduating in 1978. He always said, if you know math you can do almost anything. 

There wasn’t anything he couldn’t do, gifted in welding and fabricating, working on heavy equipment. He was a self-taught accomplished musician, playing lead guitar for many years in the Pack River Band at Bert's Place.

The mountains were his home, he knew every trail like the back of his hand. Hunted every year to bring in the deer meat for the treasured smokies. In 1981, he married Cherie Vincent, they had two daughters, Holly and Nikki, divorcing in 1991.

In 1996, Ron met Carey Chamberlain, they were wed Nov. 2 that year in the Little Church in the Wild Wood. Joining the family were Carey’s daughters, Heather and Aubrey Inman. Through the years Ron’s greatest accomplishment was building the family log home, peeling the 72 logs, scribing, and raising the walls up. Quite the process! He was a good and honest man and would be there to help whoever needed help while asking nothing in return. 

Ron knew the Lord and wasn’t worried about facing death and where his soul would be … but concerned about the people left behind. He endured pain and misery with the affliction to his body and needed permission to finally have peace and to depart from that earthy body held on this earth.

No services will be held at this time, there will be a celebration in late spring to spread his ashes. 

Ron leaves behind his wife, Carey Spears; his daughters, Holly Dixon, Nikki Spears, Heather (Taryn VanHouten) and Aubrey Inman; grandchildren Isaac, Dominic, Lindsey, Keith, Keegan, Riley, and Maddison; brother Wayne Byfield; niece and nephew Monica Baconrind and Brad Byfield; and numerous aunts, cousins, nieces, and nephews. We will miss him greatly.

Lakeview Funeral Home in Sandpoint is handling the arrangements. Please visit Ronald’s online memorial at lakeviewfuneral.com and sign his guest book.