Mollie Spoonts

Mollie Avagene (Wilkinson) Spoonts, age 95 of Temple, passed away Saturday, May 9, 2020 at her home. Funeral Services will be held, with social distancing precautions, at 2 pm Wednesday, May 13, 2020 in the Harper-Talasek Funeral Home Chapel in Temple, 500 W. Barton Ave. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Cemetery in Temple.

Mollie Avagene was born to Thomas Lee Wilkinson and Wilma Louise Holliday on May 8, 1925, at home in Bellfalls, Texas. She was the oldest of six children to follow. She graduated as Valedictorian of the class of 1942 from Troy High School.

She married Byron O. “Cotton” Spoonts on December 8, 1943 in Granger, Texas. They had a double wedding with Burt Davidson and Nell Liles. Mollie and Cotton celebrated their 53 wedding anniversary before Cotton’s death on March 11, 1997.

Mollie worked as a secretary for many different places from the Bluebonnet Ordnance Plant in McGregor, Texas to the Temple Daily Telegram. She spent a total of 25 years with the Temple Daily Telegram as the secretary to the publishers. They changed, but she stayed until her retirement in 1985.

In her early years, before two children, she took art lessons and enjoyed painting. Her home and the homes of her family members are filled with her artwork. She loved to paint flowers and landscapes the most. After her retirement, she planned to go back to painting but arthritis began to set in and just didn’t allow her to paint much anymore.

When she could no longer paint she began to write cards of encouragement, birthday, get well, sympathy and any other occasions one could think of. They were always typed, not handwritten, and usually contained a mini sermon in them with lots of love.

She and Cotton had two children Deborah Spoonts Winston and Byron O. Spoonts, Jr.

She is predeceased by her parents, her husband, Cotton, her brothers, Tom Wilkinson, John Wilkinson, and two sisters Racelle Fletcher Hulin and Sandra Kinsey, and her son, Byron O. “Bo” Spoonts in 2003.

She is survived by her daughter Deborah Winston (Joe) of Temple, Texas, her daughter in law, Barbara Lynch Spoonts of Godley, Texas, 2 grandsons, Joe Winston (Lisa) of Beaumont, Texas, Brandon Winston of Austin, 1 granddaughter Alyssa Robinson (Sam) of Raleigh, N.C. Three great-grandchildren, Madeline Winston of Lolo, Mt., Owen Winston of Beaumont, Levi Winston of Beaumont, Texas Her sister Nelda Beimer of Temple. She is also survived by a host of nieces and nephews.

Memorial Donations in Mollie’s honor may be made to the Love of Christ Food Pantry in Temple, 2000 Airport Rd – (254) 774-8411 (locfoodpantry.org); or to the Cherokee Children’s Home; P.O. Box 295, Cherokee, TX 76832 (chc4kids.org) or to the charity of your choice.

A time of visitation will be held at 1 pm Wednesday, May 13, 2020 prior to the service.