True to her firecracker spirit, Lela Mae Spruell passed away on July 4, 2019, in The Woodlands, Texas, surrounded by her children and grandchildren. Lela was born in Beaumont, Texas on October 20, 1926, to Allie Marie Hancock and James Severne Hutchins. A devoted daughter, Lela spent her childhood assisting her mother and carried her passion for service to others into her career as a surgical nurse. Lela was full of life and could always be found on the nearest dance floor, even at the age of 92 years young - roller skates optional. Her passion for gardening was immediately evident through the lush gardens that surrounded her home. Lela enjoyed traveling often with her sister Bonnie, as they always seemed to find their way into hilarious situations. Lovingly referred to as “Nanny”, Lela found her true calling in life as a grandmother to ten and great-grandmother to 18 and will be sorely missed by the generations that only got to experience a glimpse of the light she brought to this world. A pillow in her home reads: “If I knew grandchildren were so much fun, I would have had them first.”


Lela is survived by her dear sister - Bonnie Martin - her four children - Louis Frank Kenjura Jr (Ruth), Lela Diane Bates, Rebecca Kenjura Ortiz, and Cheryl Hutchins (Greg) - her ten grandchildren - Louis Frank Kenura III, Sean Kenjura (Bonnie), Dawn Kenjura Kibbe (Ryan), Christina Kenjura-Brooks (Charles), Kathaleen Kenjura-Walton (Steven), Phoebe Hamill (Brian), Jacob Hutchins, Megan Ortiz (John), Taylor Ortiz (Saira) and Steven Bates - and her 18 great-grandchildren - Kash Kenjura, Madison Kenjura, McKenna Kenjura, Cal Kibbe, Paige Kibbe, Alyssa Davis, Charles Brooks III, Rowan Brooks, Samuel Brooks, Liam Brooks, Elizabeth Walton, Lyllian Walton, Victoria Walton, Meredith Walton, Penelope Walton, Evelyn Walton, Ireland Hamill, and Pistol Brewer. Lela is preceded in death by her dear parents, her brother, James Severene Hutchins Jr, her youngest daughter, Allie Marie Kenjura, and her husbands, Louis Frank Kenjura and Norman Wesley Spruell.