Cecil C. Spear, Jr.

Cecil Spear, age 89 of Auburn, AL, passed away on June 16, 2024.  A lifelong member of St. James Methodist Church in Montgomery, Cecil was a devoted husband, loving father and grandfather, and a loyal friend to many.  Cecil was born on June 1, 1935 to Cecil Sr. and Hattie Mae Webster Spear of Lapine, Alabama.  Cecil had an idyllic childhood in the small town of Lapine surrounded by grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins.  He often regaled his family with tales of the colorful characters and their escapades in that small country town.  He was a three-sport star in high school for the Ramer Golden Eagles. In 1957 he became the first in his family to graduate from college with a degree in civil engineering from Auburn University.  Upon graduation, Cecil married the love of his life, Joyce Williamson of Goshen, Alabama.  Joyce and Cecil were married for 66 years and had two children, Alan and Melissa. 

Cecil enjoyed a long and prolific professional career, respected for his integrity, loyalty and a reputation for always trying to do the right thing.  In 1965, along with 5 partners, he founded AESCO Steel and grew that business into a strong regional provider of structural steel.  The business flourished, providing a livelihood for many families.   In 1983, Trinity Industries purchased AESCO and Cecil eventually became President of Trinity’s structural steel division.  Cecil was well known in building and construction circles and served on the Board of American Institute of Steel Construction.   Cecil was an avid golfer at Montgomery Country Club and Shoal Creek Golf Club in Birmingham.  In his later career at Trinity, his main job was to host golf groups at Shoal Creek.  It was a great gig in which he met many interesting people until he finally retired in 2018 at age 82!    

Despite all his professional and personal achievements, Cecil would be quick to tell you that nothing was more important to him than serving his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Cecil was very active throughout his life as a lay leader in the Methodist church serving on many committees and in leadership roles.  He taught Sunday school each month up until a recent illness put him on the sidelines and faithfully wrote a weekly devotional read by many people.  He was quick to share his faith and his gift of encouragement to others who were struggling. 

If there is one word that exemplified the life of Cecil Spear - that word would be LOVE.    Titles, accolades and accomplishments do little to explain the impact of Cecil’s life on others.  He loved his family unconditionally, and together with Joyce, provided a strong foundation for his children and grandchildren.  He truly loved people as reflected in the many close and diverse friends he made along the way and the positive impact that he had on their lives. Cecil was a friend that showed up – often in very difficult circumstances.

Cecil is preceded in death by his wife, Joyce, and his parents, Cecil and Hattie Mae Spear.  He is survived by his son Alan Spear and his wife Julie, his daughter Melissa Spear Northcutt and her husband Van, his sister Jane Braswell, his 6 grandchildren: Michael and Taylor Spear; Bradley (Claire) Northcutt, Sarah (Wells) Summers, Chris (Alyssa) Northcutt and Casey Northcutt, and his 4 great-grandchildren: Caroline, Kate, Molly and Helen Northcutt.  The family extends a special thanks to the wonderful caregivers that have become part of our family – Johnnie Mae, Maxine, Santrice and Melissa.  

Funeral services will be held at St. James Methodist Church, 9045 Vaughn Rd, Montgomery, AL on Friday, June 21.  The family will receive visitors at St. James beginning at 9:30 am CDT to be followed by a funeral service at 11 am.  A graveside service and interment will follow at Rocky Mount Cemetery in Highland Home, Alabama in the afternoon.   The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations in Cecil’s memory may be sent to the St. James Church (www.sjlife.com), Grace Auburn Church (www.graceauburn.church), or the New Walk of Life Church (www.newwalkoflifechurchmgm.org), both in Montgomery, AL.