Bernard "Bernie" Dean Spence, 78, passed away May 17, 2012 after a long illness. He was born April 22, 1934 in Lawrence, Kansas to the late Walter Spence and Ruth Peasley Spence. After graduation, he served in the Navy as an airport fireman.

He married Millie Sinks in 1955. She passed away along with an infant daughter in 1957. He married Shirley Shaffer in 1959. They moved to Bay City in 1964 with the Celanese Expansion. He retired from Seagull Pipeline in 1995. He was a regular with the "Diamond S Coffee Bunch" and at the First Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by his parents, first wife & infant daughter, 3 sisters and beloved daughter Lora Batson.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years Shirley Spence; son David & Christy Spence of Lake Jackson; daughters Gale & Larry Dupriest of Stephenville, TX and Connie & Chris Donahue of Lenoir City, TN; nine grandchildren Audrey, Zack, Claire & Dean Donahue, Alexa Spence, Dana Dupriest Rodriguez and Tyler, Savanna & Lilly Batson; great grandson Aiden Rodriguez and sisters Alta Slack and his twin Bernice Nehrbas.

The family will receive friends and relatives from 4PM to 6PM Saturday at the funeral home. Funeral service will be 2:00 PM Sunday, May 20, 2012 at the First Baptist Church with Dr. Mike Zimmerman officiating. Interment will follow at Cedarvale Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Tyler Batson, Jody Batson, Chris Donahue, Dean Donahue, Zack Donahue & Grant Miller. Honorary pallbearers will be Marvin Harvel, Carl Ogletree, Joe Reed, Quentin Watkins & Bill Johnson. Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church.