Suzanne Spillman

Suzanne Hampton Spillman, 77, of Kerrville, Texas, made her peaceful transition in to eternal life on Tuesday, March 17, 2015, following a long battle with cancer. \r\n \r\nShe was born to Jane and Harry Hampton on April 29, 1937. She and her twin sisters Dinah and Caroline were raised in Port Arthur, Texas, and grew up with many life-long friends and family members. \r\n\r\nSuzanne attended Camp Waldemar for girls in Hunt, Texas, for seven summers beginning a legacy carried on by her daughters Hannah and Janie and their daughters Grayson and Caroline. This beloved camp was an important part of her life and it was here that her love of nature, sisterhood and leadership became her most important ideals. \r\n\r\nSuzanne graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Port Arthur, Texas, in 1955. In 1959 she graduated from the University of Texas where she was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and earned a Bachelor's of Science degree in elementary education. Following graduation she moved to Midland, Texas, to teach elementary school and it was there that she met her husband, Larry W. Spillman, her husband, partner and best friend of 55 years. They were married in 1960 and moved to Bartlesville, Oklahoma. From there they moved to Beaumont, Texas, in 1962, where Larry began a long and productive career in commercial real estate. They lived in Beaumont for 28 years. \r\n\r\nDuring their years in Beaumont, Suzanne continued close relationships with friends from her childhood and her years as a Theta at UT. She also worked on behalf of a number of charitable organizations and the Junior League of Beaumont. She also pursued her love of sports, developing an expertise in tennis and golf. She won numerous tennis championships in singles as well as doubles tournaments with Larry. She also taught women's doubles tennis for eight years. Suzanne also discovered a love and natural ability for golf which led to winning the Ladies' Club Championship at the Beaumont Country Club, and later at the Riverhill Country Club in Kerrville. \r\n\r\nHer greatest love, however, was reserved for her family. In 1964 Suzanne and Larry adopted their daughter Hannah through the Edna Gladney Agency. In 1967, they welcomed the birth of their second daughter, Janie. As a mother she encouraged their independence and individuality, but also instilled in both her daughters a love and appreciation for the long relationships they shared with friends and family. She delighted in seeing her daughters, and later her granddaughters, spend their summers at Camp Waldemar. \r\n\r\nIn 1990, Suzanne and Larry moved to Kerrville, Texas, which has been their home for the last 25 years. They built their home in the Riverhill addition and there they enjoyed their time with family and friends. After Larry retired from real estate they were able to share their love of travel. Suzanne was always up for a new adventure, and together they explored the United States, Canada and Europe. The particularly enjoyed attending women's professional golf tournaments around the country and became friends with a number of players on the circuit. \r\n\r\nIn 1995, both of their daughters married. Janie married Mark Ruiz; and Hannah married Mark Simone. At each of their weddings her wish to all of them was that their lives together were as wonderful as the one she was sharing with Larry. \r\n\r\nSuzanne and Larry are known as "Sue-Sue and Poppy" to their two granddaughters Grayson Suzanne Ruiz and Caroline Grace Simone and have proudly watched as both of these little girls became lovely young women - one with her natural athletic ability and the other with her love of music and the arts. Both of them share a great love of nature and are now the third generation of Hampton girls to attend Camp Waldemar. \r\n\r\nSuzanne's life was rich and full with Larry, as well as with her closest friends. She relished her work at the St. Peter's Church Cottage Shop as well as her performances at the local VA hospital and retirement facilities with the String-A-Long Ukulele Band. She spent many memorable vacations with Dinah and Caroline and looked forward to their "Sister Trips" trips each year. Her love of dogs also became a strong passion later in her life as she enjoyed hearing stories about and spending time with her granddogs. \r\n\r\nSuzanne Spillman was a fighter and she refused to give in to cancer. Together with her devoted husband Larry she lived a full and wonderful life right up until the day she died. We will miss her every day but we are blessed with many happy memories and her passions will live on through her granddaughters and their daughters in the years ahead. \r\n\r\nShe is survived by her husband Larry, her daughter Hannah Spillman Simone and granddaughter Caroline Grace Simone of Great Falls, Virginia; her daughter Janie Spillman Ruiz and her granddaughter Grayson Suzanne Ruiz of Dripping Springs; her sisters Dinah McClymonds of Houston, Texas, and Caroline McKnight of Overland Park, Kansas, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. \r\n\r\nThe Spillman Family would like to extend our heart-felt appreciation to Dr. James Young for his kind and compassionate care, as well as to Dr. Rebecca Barrington and her staff and Dr. Cynthia Clegg of Fredericksburg. A very special thank you goes to Peterson Hospice and especially Dawn Pardue, RN, who always made us feel like Suzanne was her only patient. We would also like to thank Judy Ligon who cared for her for many months and is now like a member of our family.\r\n \r\nFinally we give thanks to The Rev. Stockton Williams, Rev. Thomas Murray, III, and the Women of St. Peter's Episcopal Church for all of their kindness and support.\r\n \r\nA memorial service in celebration of Suzanne's life will be held on Thursday, March 26, 2015, at 11:00 am at St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 320 Main Street, in Kerrville. Guests are invited to join the Spillman family for lunch immediately following the service in Tucker Hall.\r\n \r\nIn lieu of flowers the family asks that donations in Suzanne's memory may be made to Peterson Hospice, 1121 Broadway, Kerrville, Texas, 78028; or to The Kathleen C. Cailloux Animal Shelter, 2900 Junction Highway, Kerrville, Texas, 78028.\r\n \r\n[contact-form-7 id="73" title="Send Condolences"]\r\n