David Lewis Spence

David Spence, 66, of Coahoma, passed away on Tuesday, February 27, 2024. A viewing will be held from 8:00 am-5:00 pm on Monday, March 4, 2024 at Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home in Big Spring. Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 pm, Tuesday, March 5, 2024 at First Baptist Church of Big Spring.

David was born on January 5, 1958 in Wabash, Indiana to Donald and Nellie Spence. He graduated from Big Spring High School in 1976. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from the University of Texas at Arlington and a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He lived, worked, and raised his family in Arizona, where he worked as a nurse at Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital in Tempe, Arizona and as a full-time pastor of First Baptist Church in Coolidge, Arizona for many years. David served as a charge nurse at Tempe St. Luke’s for over 20 years, and received multiple awards during his time there. He moved back to Texas to work at the VA and married Beth Spence in 2008. David received his Master of Science in Nursing/Family Nurse Practitioner Degree at Hardin Simmons Patty Hanks Shelton School of Nursing in 2019. He worked as a flight nurse for Air Evac 54 for seven years, and was currently employed at Vital Care as a Nurse Practitioner. He was awarded Flight Nurse of the Month for Region 5 in 2015 for 1 month, in 2016 for 3 months and earned Flight Nurse of the Year for Region 5 in 2015. He was always learning and reading. He taught a Bible study for many years and loved to teach about nursing. David also played guitar with the praise band at FBC Big Spring. He was still actively playing basketball. He enjoyed gardening with Beth and watching his grandchildren in everything. One of his favorite quotes was from his all-time favorite movie “It’s a Wonderful Life”: “No man is a failure who has friends.”

David is survived by his wife Beth Spence of Coahoma; his mother Nellie Spence of Big Spring; his daughter Charis Myers and her husband Chad Myers, and their daughters Caylee and Catherine Myers of Forsan; his son Joshua Spence of Casa Grande, Arizona; his brother Paul Spence and his wife Beth Spence of Big Spring; and two nieces: Kayla Parsons, her husband Richard, and their son Clark of San Angelo, Texas, and Laura Kahler and her husband Eddie of Fort Worth, Texas.

David was preceded in death by his father Donald Spence.

The family would like to express their gratitude towards the wonderful doctors and nurses of Scenic Mountain Medical Center and Shannon Medical Center in San Angelo, as well as the countless friends and family who have reached out and expressed their love for David and his family.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial scholarship is being established at Howard College to support Nursing students.

If you’d like to contribute:

Please make checks payable to Howard College Foundation. In the memo line, note “David Spence.” You can drop off checks at the Old Main Building on the Howard College Big Spring Campus. (1001 Birdwell Ln, Big Spring, TX 79720)

For more information you can contact Brenda Madore at Howard College. (432) 264-5000

Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Midland. Online condolences may be made at www.npwelch.com

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