Shirley Spear Eads

1934 - 2018

Shirley Spear Eads

Lafayette - Shirley Spear Eads

Wife of Dr. David Eads

On April 6, 2018, Shirley Eads entered the fullness of Eternal Life to be with her Lord Jesus Christ.

Shirley was born on March 2, 1934 in Philadelphia, PA to Harry and Veva Spear.

Shirley is survived by her husband, David, and her children: Sharon Eads Neilson, Paul Eads, Nancy Eads Sawayda, and Luanne Eads Cluff; her grandchildren: Kristen Neilson Cespedes and Emily Neilson, Casey and Kara Eads, Stephen and Daniel Sawayda, and Cameron and Cole Scudder. She was preceded in death by infant, Lucy Grace Scudder.

Shirley was an influential woman, and she served in various leadership positions. In high school she served as class president and graduated as salutatorian of her class.

Shirley and David both graduated from Indiana University where she pursued a career in Speech Pathology while David studied Optometry.

While at IU, she became president of Delta Zeta sorority.

After graduating from college, she worked in the Bloomington school system while supporting her husband David through his last two years of Optometry School.

In 1958, Shirley and David moved to West Lafayette where Shirley worked as a Speech Therapist in the Lafayette school system while Dr. Eads began his Optometry practice.

When her children entered college, Shirley became the office manager at Dr. Eads' Optometry office. Later, she become the Director of Women's Ministry at Covenant Church. She also served in several volunteer positions including being a lay counselor, teaching English as a second language, Bible study teacher, and a leader in the local chapter of National Alliance on Mental Illness. She became a co-founder and organizer of MOPS, Mothers of Preschoolers, where she mentored and encouraged young mothers.

For all her volunteer leadership, Shirley was selected by the YWCA as Woman of the Year.

Her celebration of life service will be on Saturday, April 21, at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 211 Knox Dr. West Lafayette, IN at 1:00 p.m.

There will be a reception immediately following the service.

In lieu of flowers, friends are encouraged to make donations to MOPS c/o Covenant Church or Kairos Prison Ministry c/o Larry Dresch 4301 Fiddlesticks Dr. Lafayette, IN 47909.