Dorothy Jean Huddleston Spickard

Dorothy Jean Huddleston Spickard entered into eternal rest at age 90 on November 19, 2013. in Maryville, Tennessee She was born in Maryville on May 4, 1923, one of five children of Albert Dubois Huddleston and Madeline Ambrister Huddleston, having all predeceased her except one sister, Ruth Huddleston Fleming residing in Florida. She is survived by her faithful spouse, Andrew W. Spickard residing in Maryville, along with his three sons, Lloyd, Rick and Brian and their respective families. ''Jean'' and Andy worshiped and belong to the congregation of New Providence Presbyterian Church of Maryville. Jean is also survived by her loving children, Dannie Jean Gibson Manning of Charleston, South Carolina and Otha A. Gibson, III, ''Gibby'' of Hermitage, Tennessee and spouse Pam Gibson, Andrea Walker Sherman and spouse David Sherman, and Kimberly Walker Rice. She is further survived by four grandchildren, Michele Ahlert Cox, G. Harrison Manning, Layla Elizabeth Manning and Otha A. Gibson, IV ''Abe'', and several great grandchildren. She was loved by all her family. Jean graduated from Maryville High School and went on to Maryville College for a degree in Elementary Education, especially enjoying science. Her education was interrupted by World War II and she worked with her sister, Marion Howell in Civil Defense and several war efforts. In 1944 she was married and in 1945 had her eldest child and became a mother and homemaker but never lost sight of her love of science and nature. Later with school age children of her own, she opened the first kinder-school in Maryville where she shared lots of group outings on nature with her classes. She operated her school for twenty five years. She was also active with the First Baptist Church youth and a teacher in Bible School where she shared her talent of arts and crafts. She also acted as a cub scout leader and the brownie scout leader in the City of Maryville for many years, and then became a Blount County School music teacher and square dance caller. entertaining the children with her autoharp playing. Later in life, Jean enjoyed and shared her love of camping and fishing trips with her family and particularly enjoyed to go fishing. She was also a great gardener and won many ribbons with her arrangements through her garden clubs. She used that talent to serve her church and church circle at New Providence. She also became quite a good golfer and played with teams for years at Green Meadow Country Club winning some honors. Jean and Andy were true Vol fans and supporters and attended as many football games and girl's basketball games as they could. Jean followed her passions: nature, gardening, music and teaching and passed them on to family and friends. The family will be receiving friends at 12:00 noon on December 7th at New Providence Presbyterian Church with a memorial service to follow at 1:00 P.M. Following the memorial service, internment will be held at Grandview Cemetery to be attended by family members. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials in Jeans name be made to the Blount Memorial Hospital Hospice program. The family wishes to express their heart felt gratitude to Home Instead Senior Care and Blount Memorial Hospice for the excellent care, nursing and love they brought to Jean and the respect and nurturing provided to the family.