Sky Allen McSpadden proudly served in the United States Navy for nine years, based in Jacksonville, Florida. For five of those years, he was stationed aboard the USS Halyburton, a period of service that took him across the world — to places like Greece, Spain, London, Africa, Bahrain and the Seychelles. His recruiter told him he’d see the world, and he did.

Sky deployed three times to Somalia, where he actively engaged in anti-piracy missions. One of his most memorable deployments was in 2009, when the USS Halyburton played a key role in the rescue of Captain Richard Phillips after he was taken hostage by Somali pirates. Sky was also aboard the ship during the filming of the movie “Captain Phillips,” starring Tom Hanks — an experience he never forgot.

His time in the Navy gave him a deep sense of pride. But when his sea duty ended and he was assigned to shore duty, things changed. Life behind a desk couldn’t compare to the thrill and purpose he had found at sea. Eventually, Sky made the decision to return home.

After returning, he met the love of his life. Together, they bonded over their shared love of animals. They competed in dog shows, trained dogs at home, and built a life centered on care, companionship and love.

On the morning of April 15, 2024, Sky passed away in his sleep — just days before a trip to Colorado, where he and his wife were to hold their wedding ceremony. His sudden passing left a profound void in the lives of those who knew and loved him.

Sky was not only a sailor, he was an artist at heart. One of his paintings depicted a solitary sailor with his sea bag, preparing to head out to sea. That image inspired a mural now being painted on our building in his honor. It serves as a tribute to his service and a way to keep his spirit alive in our community.

In his memory, we wear bracelets that say “Sky’s the Limit.” Friends and family carry these bracelets on their own travels and adventures, posting and sharing photos wherever they go — continuing Sky’s journey, one memory at a time.

— Karen Hefner, proud Blue Star Mom

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“In 2014, at the last red light before going over the Fred Hartman Bridge, an 18-wheeler got me. I mean, he T-boned me.

“They Life Flighted me to Hermann Hospital. I was in a coma for three days and in ICU for three weeks. Because of it, I have a 2 1/2-inch titanium plate screwed into my neck.

“Before that, I had cancer in my bottom lip. I never smoked a day in my life. It was carcinoma. They cut right down the center of my lip, all the way across, and took out the cancer. I needed 93 stitches.

“Then about five or six years ago, they removed my whole upper lip with another carcinoma. They took some skin from behind my ears to fill in, then just stretched the cheek and sewed me up. It’s so tight, I couldn’t get my partial in.

“I’ve also had a bunch of other skin cancers removed. And then, a few years ago, they found colon cancer. I had 13 inches of my colon removed. Last year, I had a brand new knee put in. I spent 19 weeks in therapy with that knee. I also had a new shoulder put in. There’s four different pieces in there. I had rotator cuff surgery, too.

“Some of that was pretty rough to deal with, but I never really did get discouraged. I’m 81, and I’m still active. I keep looking forward. I guess I’m just a walking miracle. The good lord has been taking such good care of me.”

— Larry Stratmann

Larry has served others all his adult life. He was in the Navy during the Vietnam War, then enjoyed long careers in police and security work. His favorite volunteer gig has been helping with the food pantry at Missouri Street Church of Christ in Baytown. He also was part of the volunteer fire department and volunteer ambulance service in Beach City, where he lives with his wife.

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“I graduated high school the night of the 28th of May. The night of the 29th, I was sleeping in my barracks.

“A friend of mine was in the Navy, and I had always wanted to join. The Vietnam War had just started. I went through boot camp and then to Class A radioman school. I was one of the very first communications advisors to the commander of Service Squadron 3. I worked in crypto. That’s where all the top-secret messages were received and shipped out. I really enjoyed it, because I knew the importance of it.

“I served four years. When I came back to the states, I flew from the Philippines to San Francisco. When I got off the plane, there was nothing but these hippies running around. They spit at us and yelled at us. It was terrible. But once I got back to Texas, it was OK.

“I’ve been with VFW Post 912 in Baytown for about 15 years. One of the things I do is give away Buddy Poppies. It’s a piece of wire with a little red poppy on it. We pass them out and take donations. All the money we receive helps our military veterans and their families — those that are in need.

“It’s unbelievable how generous people are. A few weeks ago, I was set up outside Kroger. I use a plastic bottle for donations. And I collected about $700 in three hours. In fact, I had two people drop $100 bills into it. I’ve been doing it for several years, and it really, really helps.”

— Larry Stratmann

During the Vietnam War, one of Larry’s brothers was a Marine and another was in the Air Force. The Marine died in a car wreck, only two weeks after returning from Vietnam. The night he was buried, their father died of a heart attack.

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“My daughter is a water baby. Always has been. She was part of the Sea Scouts group here in town for four years. She got certified in scuba when she was 14. She learned how to sail small boats and big boats. Her uncle has a place in Martha’s Vineyard. When they spend time up there in the summer, they sail and stuff.

“I wasn’t surprised when she decided to join the Navy. She wanted to do something where she could make a difference and also get help with school so she wouldn’t end up having debt.

“We have tons of military in our family. One brother retired after 26 1/2 years in the Army. My sister served six years in the Air Force. My other brother spent 11 years in the Army Reserve. My brother-in-law retired from the Air Force after 20 years. I had cousins in various branches. I have an uncle who was wounded in the Korean War and is paraplegic from his injury. All the uncles on my dad’s side served in every branch there is. My dad couldn’t serve because he had a disc missing in his back, but he wanted to. My niece’s husband is in the Marines. And my third son was in the Army Reserve, but he’s out now.

“So serving in the military was always on the table for my daughter. It always was talked about and was an option. Besides my sister, though, it wasn’t something that women in our family did. It was just boys who went. But I’m glad she has the mindset that she can do whatever she wants, whether it’s something females traditionally would do or not. I’m really glad she’s like that.

“I had considered it at one point. But my path was really different from hers, and it just didn’t happen. In hindsight, I kind of wish I would have. I think it would have been good for me.”

— Lara Capson

Lara is a process technology instructor at Lee College. Her daughter, Eileen McCafferty, is serving a six-year commitment in the Navy.

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“I was 19 years old in 1941. In those days, you didn’t work on Sundays. Nothing was open. It was a special day. So when Pearl Harbor happened, I was so frustrated. How could they attack on a Sunday morning?

“I was so proud of America, and it so bothered me, that I ran right down to the induction center at our post office. I intended to join the Army, but the guy there had gone to lunch. The Navy guy was there, so I joined the Navy instead.

“I served on the U.S.S. Manila Bay. I stayed on that ship all during the war. We were strafed. We were bombed. And we had a kamikaze hit us. The ship survived, but I lost a lot of friends.

“I remember one time when we were under heavy attack. All these planes were coming in, with strafing all around us. One of the planes was only 20 or 30 feet off the water, and he was headed right for my gun mount. That guy was so close, I could make out his goggles. And I thought, dear God, if I die today, I sure was going to hell. Because I believed in hell, this place of torment or whatever. I’d always been a wild kind of a guy. I had done every kind of sin that was named, as well as some that weren’t named. I was really a demon possessed among men. So when I saw that guy coming in, I thought, oh, lord, if you’ll save me, I’ll serve you. I had no idea that you could bargain with God. But I was trying to bargain with him anyway. And just about the time that plane was going to hit, one of our guns got him and he exploded.

“During the war, I never really thought I would come out alive. We were in danger all the time. It was a horrible way to live. We were fighting for survival, but we never thought we would survive.”

— Fred Sneed, 97

A few years after the war, Fred followed through on his promise and joined the ministry. He served in that capacity for more than 50 years.

(Note: Fred Sneed passed away on Aug. 29, 2021.)

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“I was an LVN when I got out of the Navy, then I became a registered nurse in 1979. After working in the neonatal unit at Texas Children’s Hospital, I got a chance to work in the ER. People came in with all sorts of things, from being really sick to trauma. That’s where I really started doing down-to-the-core nursing.

“I took early retirement in 2015, but I guess I’ve carried that same desire to help people into my Reiki and hypnosis. I like to help people who are feeling stressed or in pain. I’m not a doctor and I’m not here to diagnose, but I do what I can to help by applying different things I’ve learned and experienced through the years.

“I’ve worked with people who are dealing with cancer treatment, and others who have chronic issues related to things like Crohn’s disease and IBS. If I can provide them with some relief and offer a few tips on how they can help themselves, then that leaves me with a pretty good feeling. I just get real satisfaction from helping people.”

(Note: Ralph Zamarron passed away on Jan. 27, 2021.)

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“When I got out, I had an opportunity to work for the immigration service. Then I met my wife and we started a family.

“In the ‘90s I went to college at night, but then 9/11 happened so I had to put my education on hold because I had a duty to not only the people in this country but also to close friends who didn’t make it.

“When I retired in ’05, I was getting on my boys and grandchildren about the importance of college. When my middle son said, ‘Dad, you never did finish your degree,’ I decided that, OK, I’m going back to school. The way I’m pacing myself, by this time next year I’ll have my bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. It will make me feel like I’ve accomplished a personal mission.

“I’m also trying to set an example for my children and grandchildren, and to show others that just because you’re old it doesn’t mean you stop learning. Some people think that after a certain age you should kick back and not do anything. I disagree with that. I think if you just sit on your butt all day and don’t get involved in something, you’re going to die. You’re going to die of boredom or die thinking people don’t care.”

— Joe Montemayor, 61

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“A friend of mine, he graduated high school a year before I did. He came up to school one day and said, ‘They’re fixin’ to draft me. Let’s go and join something.’

“There were four of us who went to the Naval Reserve place in Houston. We all signed up for submarines and took their knowledge test. But because my friend walked in his sleep, the Navy wouldn’t take him.

“So instead, he went and joined the Air Force. They were looking for somebody to be a mess cook for General (Curtis) LeMay, who was head of the Air Force back in that time, the whole works. After he took their test, they came over to Crosby to check out everything about him. He passed and they sent him straight up there to Washington.

“He ended up staying in the Pentagon for four years and never did a darn thing except get up in the morning and fix LeMay’s breakfast. That was all he did, while we were down in those submarines.”

— Robert Gregory

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“I was 18 and wanted to get out of the house, but I didn’t have any money. So I joined the military and was in the Navy for a few years. They try to change a boy into a man. I learned a lot about myself: my physical limits, my emotional limits, my mental limits. It was definitely worth it.”

What’s the biggest lesson you learned?
“What I can accomplish. Personally, how easy everything else in the world is. Like nothing was ever really challenging for me. Now I know how much more I’m capable of accomplishing and how great I could be in the future. It’s just getting there.”

— Robert Mejia

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“The best job I ever had was in the ‘80s up in Virginia, working as a sheet metal mechanic in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. It’s where they build, remodel and repair the Navy’s ships.

“Being a Vietnam War-era veteran, I was proud to help service the fleet and keep the Navy’s surface crafts and submarines going. The subs were the most interesting to work on. It was really tight quarters, but their overall size was pretty impressive when you got a close-up view of them in dry dock.”

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