Florene Spires

Florene, her parents and three younger brothers, J.L, Eli and Samuel, eventually moved to Jackson, the state capital. She attended Lanier High School, where she met and fell in love with her future husband, Arthur Spires, Jr. According to Florene, Arthur, whom she did not know at the time, approached her at school one day and told her, “you are going to be my wife.” She thought it was funny at the time. It proved to be a prophetic word. The rest is history. After graduation, the high school sweethearts married and migrated to Flint, Michigan, where Arthur worked for General Motors and Florene birthed Marvin Jerome, their first child.

Meanwhile, “Rene’s” parents and her three brothers were still residing in Jackson. Reeling in the aftermath of the horrendous lynching of Emmitt Till, James decided to get his sons out of the Jim Crow South. James and Flora were determined to lessen the chances of their sons befalling the same gruesome fate as young Till. They made plans to move north, as well. The family followed two of James’ brothers to Portland, Oregon, where the Bryant men were all able to find gainful employment. With the prospect of a better life coming into focus, Arthur, Florene and baby Marvin, made the move from Flint to Portland, as well.

After facing subtler forms of racism, such as redlining and housing discrimination, the young couple were blessed to purchase a brand new home in North Portland in a new development near the Kenton district, built in the wake of the tragic Vanport Flood. Soon their second child, Anthony Deon was born. The couple gave their lives to The Lord and “raised their children in the way they should go.” A little more than two years later, their only daughter Kathlyn Lynette, was born.

Florene blossomed into a wonderful wife, mother and homemaker. She and husband Arthur became strong members of their community and trusted members of their church, Metropolitan Church of God. Metropolitan later morphed into Maranatha Evangelistic Center. Florene and Arthur became two of the pillars of one of the most prominent and anointed congregations in the Pacific Northwest.

The couple participated in the music ministry, various foreign mission ministries, the youth ministry, transportation ministry and usher ministry. Even before the church had an official transportation department, they often went out of their way on Sunday mornings to bring many people who didn’t have transportation to church. Through their dedicated efforts, they led many souls to Christ. Next came the birth of Arthur Jerrell and just over three years later came Byron Lattrell, bringing the number of children to five and Florene’s child bearing to a conclusion. The family of seven, protected by the Blood of Christ and inspired by The Holy Spirit, became a beacon of God’s light and love in their beloved church and in their community.

The family was now complete and the modest house was expanded to accommodate the growth. With Art as the committed breadwinner and Do-It-Yourself home project manager and Florene, the consummate homemaker, they raised their kids with lots of love and guidance, aided by the mentorship of Rene’s faithful parents, James and Flora. A maven of the household budget, Florene was able to feed a “big-boned” family of seven on one working man’s salary. To make ends meet during the early days, Florene also contributed to the household economy by working a few hours per week as a housekeeper for two affluent families.

Once able to land a better paying job, Art was able to retire his wife from her part-time employment. Florene was then able to put even more energy into homemaking, child rearing and church service. The couple became elder and wife at Maranatha, where their leadership, mentorship and service continued into their senior years. Blessed with a well earned early retirement in 1996, Art and Florene were able to spend more time with family and take on a more robust traveling schedule which included, visiting relatives all over the country, traveling abroad to Hawaii and Canada, taking a cruise to Alaska and making several vacation trips to Mexico.

In the latter years of her life, Florene faced her biggest challenges, including the passing of her beloved Arthur, her husband of 60 years and fighting a protracted battle with dementia that she waged for the rest of her life. The weight of the debilitating illness changed things for her and her loved ones, but through it all, she never lost her indomitable spirit, the love for her family and her faith in her Lord. In John 14:2-3 Yeshua told his disciples that in His Father’s house there are many mansions. He told them He was going to prepare a place for them and that they knew the way to the place He was going. Florene knew the way. In the pre-dawn hours of December 24th, 2024, because of her undying faith in Jesus Christ, because she held onto His hand til the end, she is living life eternal with her Lord and Savior, and after nine long years, is reunited with her soulmate in glory.

Florene is survived by her brother JL Bryant, sons: Marvin J. Spires, Anthony D. Spires, Arthur Jerrell Spires and Byron L. Spires; daughter: Dr. Kathlyn Spires Diaz, daughters-in-law: Joanne Spires, Rhonda Spires, Kimberly Spires and Charity Spires; grandsons: Derell Spires J.R. Spires, Emanuel Pierce and Josiah Spires; granddaughters: Rica Butcher, Latriece Spires, Aundrea Spires, Christina Diabate, Alyssa Spires, Sydney Spires, Marissa Spires; grandsons-in law: Carlisle Butcher and Tahirou Diabate, granddaughter-in-law: Sarah Spires; great grand children: Jashyia Spires, Dejay Spires, Nathan Spires, Andrew Spires, Issac Spires, Israel Pierce, Nia Pierce, Arthena Spires, Mohammed Diabate, Olivia Butcher and Nalima Diabate, along with cousins, nieces, nephews and a wealth of friends and others whose lives she touched.