On August 19, 2024, not only did the Spearing family lose the beloved daughter of Ted and Sandy, sister to Brandon (Victoria) and Rachel (predeceased 2011), niece, and cousin, we lost someone who spread her seeds across the globe. Melissa’s (aka Missy) passing was her own decision. Our hope is that she is happy and at peace where her trail has ended.

Born July 19, 1984, Missy began to blossom at an early age on the farm — adoring the flora, fauna, and especially her chickens. Explorations included adventuring in the surrounding forests with friends and treasure hunting for fossils using dad’s fine wood working chisels. After attending public school at Grandview and Rolling Hills, Bethany, and high school at I.E. Weldon Secondary School, Lindsay, Melissa pursued her interest in Advertising at Loyalist College in Belleville, Ont.

After several creative endeavours within the advertising and marketing field in Toronto, she went in a new direction, returning home to the nursery due to her sisters accident in 2007. Valuing life lessons learned during that difficult time and more so after Rachel’s passing, helped reinforce her purposeful passion of all things growing at Niagara Parks School of Horticulture, graduating in 2013. Missy’s efforts thereafter included the family nursery, the Forest Gene Conservation Association, Ontario and the National Tree Seed Centre, Fredericton, New Brunswick as a seed biologist.

Melissa was a long-time volunteer of Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association, contributing to the Growers Sector Group for more than a decade. While studying at Niagara Parks, she proudly led a private tour of the school's grounds for industry members on the Growers Group Tour in 2009 and presented many times at the group's annual Short Course to shared the latest research and innovations on production methods for those in the nursery sector. Whether she spoke about sourcing seed, plant phenology or Integrated Pest Management practices, her passion, interest and enthusiasm for the subject matter at hand always showed.

Additionally, she undertook an intensive seed conservation course at the Royal Botanical Gardens Kew, London, England that led to so many further connections with other related agencies and organizations, too numerous to mention. Most recently she embarked on pursuing a Master of Forestry at the University of New Brunswick at the time of her passing.

Missy was a lot of things to us and her family around the world. She was the food lover, the couch surfer, the five-minute call lasting two hours, the tree hugger extraordinaire, the brilliant problem-solver, the student and the teacher, and the one you could always count on. She was truly one of a kind. We will forever miss her and the void she has left behind. No doubt her star will continue to shine bright to lead all willing hands to continue her missions for generations to come.

With Missy’s ashes now home in Bethany, lets honour her 40 years together.

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Visitation and Celebration of Life

Victoria Park Armoury
210 Kent St West
Lindsay, ON  K9V 2Y8

Friday, September 20, 2024, 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m.
Saturday, September 21, 2024, 10:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
A Celebration of Life will commence at 1:30 p.m.

Due to limited Saturday parking surrounding the Armories, the farmer’s market and Lindsay Ex that week, the following is highly recommended:
Park at Fleming College, 200 Albert St, South, Lindsay, Lot A. Shuttle buses will be provided for your convenience to and from the Armories beginning at 9:30 a.m. (Saturday).
All welcome to then join us for an extended gathering over luncheon at Fleming College.

Donations

In lieu of flowers (the family home is small with full gardens) donations may be made to Kawartha Land Trust in Melissa’s honour.

Live streaming Zoom Link:

http://bit.ly/MissySpearing
Meeting ID: 885 8656 7641
Passcode: 842324

Hotel

A block of hotel rooms has been reserved under “Spearing Group”
Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham Lindsay
134 Angeline St S, Lindsay, ON K9V 3L6
Phone: 705-328-0100

OBITUARY
 

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