Loyd Clifford Spore

Loyd Spore was born on January 6, 1938 near Obregon, Sonora, Mexico. His parents were Frank Wilburn Spore and Mercedes Hernandez de Spore. The family travelled regularly to Arizona during Loyd’s childhood and eventually settled in Chandler permanently. Loyd lived and worked on his father’s dairy, located on Galveston Street between Alma School Road and Hartford Street, while he attended Chandler schools. He graduated from Chandler High School in 1956. He attended Arizona State College for one year before marrying Aneta Jean Fisher in September 1957. Sadly, Loyd lost the love of his life in 1992 when she was only 52. Loyd was devastated and losing Aneta left a hole in his heart that never completely healed.

Loyd and Aneta became parents in September 1958, with the birth of their daughter, Natalie. Loyd thought the sun rose and the moon set on his little girl. They completed their family with the birth of their son, Philip, in January 1964. Loyd molded Philip into his hunting buddy and passed on his love of nature to him.

Loyd worked for various businesses in Arizona including Bechtel, Garrett Aviation, Air Research, Allied Signal, Fairchild Aviation, and Honeywell. He retired in 1999 after a distinguished career as a Turbo Prop Engine expert and bilingual technical instructor to pilots and mechanics.

Loyd was an avid hunter and outdoorsman. For years, his free time was spent driving the backroads of Arizona in his 1968 Bronco. He moved to Pinetop, Arizona in 1999 to be closer to the forests of Arizona and he travelled into nature nearly every day to scout for deer and elk, or to just enjoy a picnic in the cool pines or by a lake.

Loyd loved the Lord and attended Chandler First Methodist Church when he was young, riding to church on a mini motorcycle. He was once stopped by a Chandler Police Officer on his way to church. Although he was not old enough to have a driver’s license, the officer let him continue on his way, but only because he was going to church. He attended various churches in Chandler and then Pinetop until he was no longer able to drive.

Loyd was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in 2022, at the age of 84. He moved back to Chandler in 2023 for memory care and to be closer to his son. Loyd succumbed to the disease on March 31, 2026. We will have a memorial service and interment at Dignity Memorial Valley of the Sun Mortuary and Cemetery in Chandler, Arizona on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at 9:00am.

Loyd will meet his loved ones already in Heaven including: his parents, his wife Aneta, his brother Frank Wilmer Spore, and his sister Mildred May Spore Babb, as well as his sister in law Betty Ann Fisher Hullet and Aneta’s parents Thomas Joe Fisher and Doris Irene Brown Fisher. Left to cherish his memory are: his brother, Herbert Spore, Sr.; daughter, Natalie Spore Loftin; son, Philip Spore; son-in-law, Carey Loftin; daughter-in-law, Gail Sanders Spore; grandchildren, Pierce Loftin, Michelle Loftin, Sidney Spore and Garrett Spore; nieces, Lorraine Babb, Robin Rice, Pebbles Sosa, and Christy Graham; and nephews, Herbert Spore, Jr., Randy Babb, and Jeff Babb, along with extended family and many friends.

We would like to thank Crystal, Karen, and Sadia at Gateway Assisted Living, and Theresa Walker Hooks and the caregivers at Cadence Chandler, and Pollyanna Adams and the caregivers at Beehive Homes in Snowflake for the exceptional care they provided to Loyd during his final years. Their care enriched his life and made all the difference for him, but especially for us, his family.