David Charles Spoor

David Charles Spoor was born on February 27, 1939, in Houston, Texas to Harry Spoor and Mildred Merrill Spoor, affectionately known as Pee Wee. He graduated from Lamar High School in Houston and then began his collegiate studies at The University of Texas at Austin where he met his beloved wife, Martha Louise Parrish (“Tookie”), whom he married in 1960. In 1963 he graduated from The University of Texas Law School and they moved to San Antonio where he began his legal career as an Associate at Cox & Smith law firm. David and Tookie welcomed their first child, Stephen Andrew in 1963, followed by Susan Elisabeth in 1965, and Martha Louise in 1969.

David became a partner at Cox & Smith in 1968 before rising to Vice President and Shareholder in 1971, a position in which he served until 1995. During his time with Cox & Smith, he was a member of the Executive Committee and the Department Head of the Real Estate Department until his retirement in 1995. David called his decision to join the law firm a gift from God. David maintained his law license for 59 years, in good standing with the Supreme Court of Texas, the Texas Bar Association, and the Federal Courts. He maintained the highest professional rating given by Martindale Hubbell. He helped build Cox & Smith into a major regional law firm of over 100 professionals with offices in four Texas cities. He took great pride in training and working alongside a cohort of lawyers who have become successful, ethical, and professional members of the law community in Texas.

After retiring from Cox & Smith, David served as Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary for the Cancer Therapy and Research Center from 1996 until 2000. His passion for supporting cancer research brought him back to Cox & Smith where he served as a member of the Health Law Department from 2001 until 2004.

David had a deep appreciation and enjoyment of nature his entire life, starting as a very young boy exploring the banks of the South Llano River at the V-H Guest Ranch in Junction, and continuing with hunting and fishing trips with his son Stephen. The sounds of ducks and geese on a foggy early morning at sunrise symbolized his love of the outdoors and the hunting experience. The family spent countless weekends and holidays at their ranch in Kendalia and the lake house on Horseshoe Bay, places where he and Tookie made lasting family memories. One of David’s greatest joys in life was time spent in his RV in Colorado and Kerrville, especially with his brother, Dan. For many years he spent his summers in Durango, CO at the Bayfield Riverside RV Park, with Dan, sister-in-law Janice, and the many good friends he had made.

He hoped to be remembered for being a gracious person in ways that influenced others to see gratitude as key to their character. He is preceded in death by his parents, siblings Dan and Pat, and his children, Stephen and Martha. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Tookie Spoor, his daughter Susan Spoor, his daughter-in-law Jodi Hayes Spoor, granddaughters Emma and Eileen Spoor, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Many thanks to Dr. Lon Smith and his staff at the START Center for Cancer Care for their compassionate care of David and previous care of his daughter, Martha.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 2:00 PM on Monday, June 5, 2023, at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 315 E. Pecan St, San Antonio, TX. A reception will follow in the Parish Hall.

In lieu of flowers, memorial remembrances may be made to The Martha Spoor Young Writers Fund, c/o The Alamo Heights School Foundation, 7101 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78209, or St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 315 E Pecan St, San Antonio, TX 78205.

Please click here to watch the live stream of the service.