Betty Joan Spears Kahler
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Obituary
Betty Joan (Spears) Kahler, 93, passed away peacefully Sunday, February 8, 2026, in her home in Austin Texas after a long battle with cancer. She was born on November 2, 1932, in Summers Arkansas, the first daughter of Roy Eugene and Edna (Gardisser) Spears of Cincinnati, Arkansas.
She was preceded in death by her husband Louis Edwin Kahler, her youngest son Randy Alan Kahler, her sister Sue Caroll (Spears) Cheatham, and her brother Billy Don Spears (and wife Mary Lou).
She is survived by her oldest son Terry Brent Kahler (wife Cassandra Maureen Kahler) of Austin, Texas, her adopted son Patricio Gonzalez of Chihuahua, Mexico, and her youngest brother, Roy G. Spears (and wife Carol Spears) from Morgantown, West Virginia.
She attended grades 1-8 at Eureka school (Rag Hollow), high school at Cincinnati, and graduated from high school in Siloam Springs, Arkansas in 1950. She accepted Christ as her savior at the age of 16 during a revival meeting in Cincinnati, Arkansas. After graduating from high school, she moved to Springfield, Missouri to study at the College of Commerce along with her two cousins, Mary Jane Smith Palone and Jenece Smith-Baker. She attended High Street Baptist Church, was baptized and surrendered her life to serve the Lord in full-time service and entered Baptist Bible College in 1950 to prepare for full-time service. She met her husband of 53 years at Baptist Bible College.
Louis was saved at the age of 18 and surrendered his life to be a missionary two years later. She graduated in 1954 and Louis in 1957. They were married in May 1958. Following their wedding, they moved to a small town in Kansas where Louis completed his pastoral internship. Her oldest son, Terry, was born one year later. They spent the next two years on deputation, raising support to go to Mexico as missionaries. They crossed the border February 14, 1961, to begin their missionary journey. They spent their first year and a half in Mexico City attending language school and learning the culture.
After completing their training, the Lord led them to Chihuahua City, Chihuahua where their second son, Randy, was born. They started a church, and the church grew quickly. They also started a Bible Institute to train national pastors and workers. Many missions and churches were started in different towns across Mexico as a result.
God led them to the mountain area in Northwest Chihuahua in 1988 where they worked with the Tarahumara Indian Tribe. They moved to Bocoyna, Chihuahua, a small rural community, along with about 25 Bible Institute students. The Grand Avenue Baptist Church, a Christian School, a children’s home and a rehabilitation center for young children were started. They also expanded their work to other indigenous tribes in the region. It is estimated that over 10,000 children and young people from all over the region came to attend school. About 70% of the students were saved, and some surrendered to the ministry, returned to their hometowns and are now pastoring about 20 churches.
Louis passed away in March 2011. Instead of retiring, Joan decided to stay in Mexico to continue serving the Lord. She eventually retired in December 2023 at the age of 91. She will always be remembered for her dedication to her faith, the love of her family, the overwhelming support and love for the people she worked with and for her resilience. She was passionate about everything she did, and she tackled life’s problems, including her health issues, with all her energy and might.
The family asks for donations to the mission in Mexico in lieu of flowers or gifts. Mail your checks to Tower Road Baptist Church, 601 86th St SW, Albuquerque, NM 87121 and mark the funds “For the work in Bocoyna”.
The family will receive friends and family members on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at 7:00 - 8:00 PM at Luginbuel Funeral Home in Prairie Grove, Arkansas. The funeral service will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, February 27, 2026, at the Summers Baptist Church. Burial will be in the Old Union Cemetery in Cincinnati, Arkansas.
She was preceded in death by her husband Louis Edwin Kahler, her youngest son Randy Alan Kahler, her sister Sue Caroll (Spears) Cheatham, and her brother Billy Don Spears (and wife Mary Lou).
She is survived by her oldest son Terry Brent Kahler (wife Cassandra Maureen Kahler) of Austin, Texas, her adopted son Patricio Gonzalez of Chihuahua, Mexico, and her youngest brother, Roy G. Spears (and wife Carol Spears) from Morgantown, West Virginia.
She attended grades 1-8 at Eureka school (Rag Hollow), high school at Cincinnati, and graduated from high school in Siloam Springs, Arkansas in 1950. She accepted Christ as her savior at the age of 16 during a revival meeting in Cincinnati, Arkansas. After graduating from high school, she moved to Springfield, Missouri to study at the College of Commerce along with her two cousins, Mary Jane Smith Palone and Jenece Smith-Baker. She attended High Street Baptist Church, was baptized and surrendered her life to serve the Lord in full-time service and entered Baptist Bible College in 1950 to prepare for full-time service. She met her husband of 53 years at Baptist Bible College.
Louis was saved at the age of 18 and surrendered his life to be a missionary two years later. She graduated in 1954 and Louis in 1957. They were married in May 1958. Following their wedding, they moved to a small town in Kansas where Louis completed his pastoral internship. Her oldest son, Terry, was born one year later. They spent the next two years on deputation, raising support to go to Mexico as missionaries. They crossed the border February 14, 1961, to begin their missionary journey. They spent their first year and a half in Mexico City attending language school and learning the culture.
After completing their training, the Lord led them to Chihuahua City, Chihuahua where their second son, Randy, was born. They started a church, and the church grew quickly. They also started a Bible Institute to train national pastors and workers. Many missions and churches were started in different towns across Mexico as a result.
God led them to the mountain area in Northwest Chihuahua in 1988 where they worked with the Tarahumara Indian Tribe. They moved to Bocoyna, Chihuahua, a small rural community, along with about 25 Bible Institute students. The Grand Avenue Baptist Church, a Christian School, a children’s home and a rehabilitation center for young children were started. They also expanded their work to other indigenous tribes in the region. It is estimated that over 10,000 children and young people from all over the region came to attend school. About 70% of the students were saved, and some surrendered to the ministry, returned to their hometowns and are now pastoring about 20 churches.
Louis passed away in March 2011. Instead of retiring, Joan decided to stay in Mexico to continue serving the Lord. She eventually retired in December 2023 at the age of 91. She will always be remembered for her dedication to her faith, the love of her family, the overwhelming support and love for the people she worked with and for her resilience. She was passionate about everything she did, and she tackled life’s problems, including her health issues, with all her energy and might.
The family asks for donations to the mission in Mexico in lieu of flowers or gifts. Mail your checks to Tower Road Baptist Church, 601 86th St SW, Albuquerque, NM 87121 and mark the funds “For the work in Bocoyna”.
The family will receive friends and family members on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at 7:00 - 8:00 PM at Luginbuel Funeral Home in Prairie Grove, Arkansas. The funeral service will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, February 27, 2026, at the Summers Baptist Church. Burial will be in the Old Union Cemetery in Cincinnati, Arkansas.
Funeral Service
10:00 am
Summers Baptist Church
Visitation
7:00 pm
Luginbuel Funeral Home
Final Resting Place
General
Nov 2, 1932
Feb 8, 2026
93
Tributes
With every breath I take i miss you.
With every day I live i remember you.
With every tear I cry I long to see you
And with my whole heart I will honor you
Until we meet again.
I loved you for my entire life, from my first memories.
Mike Shewmaker - Nephew
Gracias mamá.
Muchísimas gracias por tanto amor y cariño que me diste a lo largo de tu vida que estuviste aquí conmigo, un día te volveré a ver y te abrazaré nuevamente para estar eternamente juntos. Mientras espérame allá, que un día te volveré a ver...
Te AMO mamá...
Con Amor: Ticho.
PATRICIO GONZALES - SON
Sister Betty Joan, my family and I learned to love you through the love of Jesus. You were a great example to us, and we will miss you, but we are certain that we will see you again in the presence of the Lord. We have only beautiful memories of you, as do all of us who had the privilege of knowing you. We thank God for you.
Jesús Elías García - FRIEND
Hermana Juanita Kahler
Gracias por tanto amor para sus nietas, sin duda les tocó la mejor abuelita en todos los aspectos, "mujer virtuosa".
Nos deja muchos recuerdos bonitos que nunca olvidaremos, su ausencia duele, pero dejó huella, tanto en mi como en mi familia, siempre estará en nuestros pensamientos.
Y como me dijo en la última llamada, nos volveremos a ver en la presencia de Dios, estoy segura que algún día así será.
Lubby Reza y familia
Luisa Elvira Reza - FRIEND
Thank you for being the best grandmother God could have given me.
Thank you for showing me that love is limitless, that it can be given in a thousand ways and to a thousand people.
Someday we will see each other again, and then we will all be together forever.
We will miss you so much.
From: Jocabeth
Jocabeth González - Granddaughter
Fue una gran bendición para mí y mi familia, el haber conocido y aun haber vivido por casi 50 años al lado de una gran mujer como lo fue usted hermana Juanita, muchos hermosos recuerdos quedarán para toda la vida y siempre estará en nuestro corazón.
Le amamos profundamente y no tenemos palabras, para agradecerle por todo el amor que usted nos mostró.
Un día nos volveremos a ver en el cielo.
José C. Martínez y familia.
Jose C. Martínez - Familia en Cristo
Dios me permitió agradecer a la hna. Juanita por telefono su amor y amistad hacia su servidora y familia, platicábamos de la promesa imperecedera del hogar celestial y del anhelo de los salvos por el....fue mi segunda mamá y la de muchas estudiantes del instituto bíblico...le exprese mi admiración por el alcance del ministerio de su esposo hno. Luis y de ella...siempre, siempre estará en nuestros recuerdos y en nuestro ?? corazón...ya esta con su Salvador....
Irma Adriana Escudero Rodriguez - Hermana en Cristo, amiga
Gracias a Dios por la vida de la Hna Juanita, su amor por Cristo y por las alarmas de México es un gran ejemplo fiel a seguir, una mujer quien dio el ejemplo de fidelidad, servicio, amor , dedicación, entrega y esfuerzo.
Las palabras faltan para expresar todo lo que ella y el Hno Luis isieron por mi y cada persona que estuvo con ellos en esta vida. Volveremos a encontrarnos nuevamente ??
Carlos A. Segovia - Familia en Cristo
Gracias a Dios por su vida por haber tenido la bendición de verla conocido cuando visitaba casa por casa aquí en Bocoyna a todas las familias mostrándonos el amor de Dios y poder haber sido salvos. Mi familia está agradecida con la misionera Juanita q con tanto amor sirvió aquí en México junto con su esposo Luis. Gracias por darse al señor hermana Juanita,por el amor ala obra la dedicación fidelidad y entrega q mostraron hasta el último día de sus vidas. Gracias por su amor a los Mexicanos siempre serán recordados como los mejores misioneros q tuvo nuestro País. En nombre del pueblo de Bocoyna Gracias.Siempre se lo dije fue para mí desde mis 6 años Mi maestra, consejera,abuela, y mi gran querida amiga por siempre. Nos veremos pronto hermosa.Con amor Gaby
Gaby - ..
Muchas mujeres hicieron el bien; mas tú sobrepasas a todas. Prov. 31:29
La Mujer Virtuosa de Proverbios 31, retrata a perfección la vida de la Hna Juanita; siempre agradeceré por ella y por su ministerio.
Hna Juanita:" Gracias por darnos a conocer El amor de Dios, a través de su servicio y abnegación, gracias porque siempre mostró en su diario vivir a un Dios fiel y compasivo, y sobretodo a El Dios de toda Esperanza, pese a la adversidad.
Gracias por compartir su fé y dejar un Gran Legado.
Nos vemos pronto Hna Juanita.
Norayma Bustillos - Familia en la fe
Gracias a Dios por la vida de nuestra hermana Juanita. Gracias por darse al Señor; su vida fue un ejemplo de fidelidad, servicio y amor incondicional, dejando una gran huella en nuestras vidas.
Yo tuve la oportunidad de decirle lo mucho que aprecio su amor, su entrega y el haber dedicado su vida a dar a conocer el evangelio de Cristo en México. Agradezco sus palabras y mensajes, siempre llenos de ánimo, amor y amabilidad — extrañaré mucho esos mensajes.
Pero sé que algún día nos volveremos a ver. Gracias, hermana Juanita, por tanto: por su abnegación y por ser un ejemplo de vida digno de ser imitado. Mi esposo y yo siempre le llevaremos en nuestros corazones, y le recordaremos con mucho cariño y respeto.
Belem - Familia en Cristo
Agradezco al Señor por el privilegio de ver compartido gran parte de mi vida alado de mi querida hna..estoy profundamente agradecida por el ministerio q ella y su esposo tuvieron para México y bajo este ministerio y de tantos otros hnos ,conocí a Cristo como salvador de mi alma .mi mayor aprendizaje fue q ellos nunca se aferraron aló terrenal ellos fueron personas q se acabaron en la obra del Señor totalmente,nunca nada fué personal todo era de la obra del Señor..su mira era de arriba donde está cristo y tenían Visión en su vida ...no puedo imaginar con mi mente tan corta como será el día en q volvamos a encontrarnos porq fiel es El q lo prometio.No se turbe vuestro corazón;creéis en Dios ,creed también en mi.En la casa de mi Padre muchas moradas hay;si así no fuera,yo os lo hubiera dicho; voy pues a preparar lugar para vosotros Y sime fuerte y os prepararé lugar,vendré otra vez:y os tomaré Ami mismo para q donde yo estoy vosotros también estéis..amado Dios gracias por tus promesas..aumentanos la Fé..
Susy Ozuna - Hna en Cristo
Funeral Service
10:00 am
Summers Baptist Church
Visitation
7:00 pm
Luginbuel Funeral Home
Final Resting Place
General
Nov 2, 1932
Feb 8, 2026
93