Betty Joan Spears Kahler

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.