John “Jack” Spencer
December 14, 1932-August 9, 2017
John “Jack” Spencer, 84, of Sundance,
WY passed away on August 9, 2017, at
the Fort Meade VA Hospice Center in
Sturgis, SD.
Jack was born on December 14, 1932
in Custer, SD to parents Richard Elmo
and Kathaleen Allegra (Smith) Spencer.
He was later joined by younger brother,
Thomas. He enlisted in the Air Force
with his mother’s permission in 1950 and
was stationed in Korea until 1952 when
he returned stateside and completed his
enlistment in Long Beach, California in
1953. He received his GED before leaving
the service and attended, then graduated
from Black Hills State College in 1958
with a degree in Business Administration
and Economics with a minor in Primary
Education and Physical Education, he and
his family moved to Douglas, Wyoming
where he accepted his first teaching position.
Jack continued his career the next
year in Osage at Kitty Moats Elementary
until 1969 when the family moved to
Byron, Wyoming where he taught at the
Byron Junior High and High Schools.
The Spencers then moved their family
to Australia in August 1972 where Jack
taught in a primary school in Toukley,
New South Wales until September 1974.
The family came home to northeastern
Wyoming where Jack taught in Moorcroft
for one year before returning to Osage
to complete his full-time teaching and
coaching career in 1994. He continued to
substitute teach in several states (Nebraska,
Texas, Arizona) until 2009. Jack’s tenure
at Osage allowed him to teach multiple
(at least two) generations of families. He,
his son Michael and grandson Johnathon
also coached basketball together for different
AAU teams in Texas. Teaching and
coaching were his life’s passion other than
his family which was his most important
accomplishment and greatest pleasure.
Jack was a great family man and a
loving father. He married Phyllis Smith in
December 1952 in Newcastle, Wyoming
and the couple had four children together.
These children in turn provided the family
with five grandchildren, who then gave
him 11 great-grandchildren.
While Jack was a very social man,
his family and extended family were
his devotion and they enjoyed traveling,
camping, wood cutting and collecting,
hunting and so much more together.
He and Phyllis especially enjoyed traveling
with her siblings by motorhome to
Canada, to the Grand Canyon where they
rode mules to the Phantom Ranch, and
many more adventures. His family and
friends will always remember him as a
respectful man with deeply held beliefs
like living by the golden rule, children
are our future and must be taught to
respect themselves and everyone in their
lives, be courageous and push themselves
to be the best person they can be, and to
be excited by life and grab it with both
hands to get the most from it.
Mr. Spencer is survived by his children,
Richard of Sanford, Colorado, Michael
(Jaylene) of Paradise, Texas, Kathaleen
and Timothy both of Sundance. He is
preceded in death by his parents, wife, and
younger brother.
Memorial services will be on Friday,
August 25, 2017 at 10:00 AM with a
reception to follow at Good Shepherd
Episcopal Church in Sundance, with Father
Steve Christy officiating. Internment
will follow at 1:30 PM at Black Hills
National Cemetery near Sturgis, SD. All
are welcome to attend and celebrate Jack’s
life. In lieu of flowers, donations may
be made to St. Jude Children’s Research
Hospital in Jack’s name.
Arrangements are under the care of
Fidler-Roberts & Isburg Funeral Chapel
of Sundance. Online condolences may be
written at www.fidler-isburgfuneralchapels.
com