Lequeta Jo (Lee) Spangler

Lequeta Jo peacefully passed away the morning of April 7, 2021 surrounded by love after a long and valiant battle with cancer. She was 82. Born to Harold Wayne and Hazel Everett Nutt on August 1, 1938 in McNary Arizona, Lee was raised in Myrtle Creek, Oregon.
After graduating from high school, she met her best friend and the love of her life, Weldon E. (Bud) Spangler while working at her parents’ café. Lee married Bud in 1963 and resided for a short time in Grants Pass, Oregon and also Grand Canyon Village, Arizona before settling down in Prescott, Arizona to raise their four children Ray, Vikki, Charlie, and Weldon.
Lee briefly worked for Sears and then became the attendance clerk at Prescott Junior High School. She knew nearly every kid in town and was known to treat each one with love and respect. Many, many people fondly remember Mrs. Spangler, the “attendance lady”! After raising their children, Lee and Bud moved to Prescott Country Club where she worked as the attendance clerk at Bradshaw Mountain High School for several years, where again, she formed friendships with many high school students of the Prescott Valley community.
Lee and Bud retired at the same time so they could enjoy their golden years together and moved to the Phoenix area. They loved to travel in their RV back up to Oregon, Washington, and to Colorado. They thoroughly enjoyed travel and also taking cruises together; with the highlight being their anniversary cruise to Alaska. Lee was known for her intellect and quick wit; she was always able to make a crowd laugh with a humorous retort and was the life of every party. She was a particularly talented knitter and quilter, taking great pride in providing beautiful blankets to those she loved. Lee was also a remarkable cook and thoroughly enjoyed entertaining family and friends in her home whenever possible.
Lee is preceded in death by her son, Raymond Leroy Cripps; both parents; brother, Walter Nutt; and sister, Dorma Smith.
She is survived by her loving and devoted husband of 58 years, Bud Spangler; daughter-in-law, Michelle Kellerman (formerly, Cripps), of Arizona; daughter, Vikki Bell of Colorado; son, Charles Spangler of Arizona; son and daughter-in-law, Weldon and Amy Spangler of Minnesota; seven grandchildren: Christopher (and Becca) Cripps of Texas, Brandon (and Danielle) Hull of Arizona, Brenda (and Ben) Schuster of Colorado, and Wayne Spangler of Minnesota; six great-grandchildren, Nathan and David Cripps, Dylan and Koen Hull, and Payton and Brooklynn Shuster; and countless friends who she also considered to be family.
A private celebration was held for Lee. In-lieu of sending flowers, please consider making a donation to Hospice of the Valley in the name of Lequeta J. Spangler at 1510 E. Flower Street, Phoenix, Arizona 85014 or online at www.hov.org.