Annette C. Spero
Bettendorf, Iowa
Died on Thursday, June 7th, 2012

Annette C. (Simpson) Spero, 77, of Bettendorf, Iowa, died Thursday, June 7, 2012 at Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House, Bettendorf. Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 A.M. Tuesday, June 12th at St. Anthony's Catholic Church, 417 Main Street, Davenport, with Rev. Apo Mpanda officiating. Her family will greet friends 9-10 A.M. in the gathering space. Interment will be in Davenport Memorial Park. Memorials may be made to St. Anthony's Catholic Church or to your favorite charity. Weerts Funeral Home, Davenport, is assisting her family with arrangements.

Mrs. Spero was born in 1934 in Kewanee, Illinois to Henry and Lucille Nielsen. She married Jerome Spero on December 28, 1975 in Bettendorf, Iowa. He died February 5, 1999. A graduate of Buda (IL) High School, she attended the former Marycrest College and St. Ambrose College, Davenport. She was secretary and bookkeeper for six years with the former Linwood Stone Products, Davenport; buyer and manager for the Bath Shop, Bettendorf for 7 years; buyer, bridal consultant and manager with the former Abraham's ladies' apparel, Davenport, for 18 years; manager of the Casino Rock Island gift shop for three years; and poker clerk for the former President riverboat casino for two years. She co-founded the first Bridal Show in Davenport over 25 years ago and subsequently served as Master of Ceremony and narrator of various other bridal and fashion shows. She held offices in Business and Professional Women's Club and Davenport/ Bettendorf Junior Women's Club. She served three years as president of Emeis Ladies Golf league, volunteered at C.A.S.I., and was a member of St. Anthony's Church Life Ministry.

Since her childhood she had a passion for the color purple, wearing clothing and decorating her home all in purple. She was known to friends as "The Purple Lady". She loved being a Red Hat Lady; and enjoyed golf, crafts, making stained glass pieces, art, doing cryptograms, crosswords and word puzzles.

Survivors include her sons, Craig (Christie) Simpson of Richardson, TX, Steven Simpson of E. Moline, IL and David Simpson of Seattle, WA; step-sons, Stuart (Karen) Spero of Lincoln, NE and Ken Spero of Richmond, VA; step-daughter, Brenda (Lou) Merhout of Jacksonville, FL; grandchildren, Alexandra Simpson of Dallas, TX, Tyler Simpson of Woodridge, IL, Abbi Nissen and Gabe Nissen, both of Allen, TX; great-grandson, Noah Woodiel of Allen, TX; sisters, Mary Lucille Bitting of Buda, IL, Judith Hauk of Oshkosh, NE and Patricia Wooldridge of Bettendorf, IA; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents.

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