James Robert Spencer's Obituary
James Robert Spencer, 70, devoted husband, father and grandfather passed away in his sleep the morning of December 3rd at his home in Steilacoom, WA. His varied and productive career included time as a building contractor, business owner and parish administrator in Tacoma parishes and currently at St. Stephen the Martyr Parish in Renton.
Although humble and soft spoken, Jim Spencer was a great man. Born in Tacoma, Washington on October 9,1946 to Robert and Catherine Spencer, he grew up working in the family business, Spencer's Hardware and Building Supplies, where they also lived above the store with his two younger siblings Roberta and John. Being raised in a hardware store trained Jim to be a very handy person, skills he put to use when he designed and built the house where he raised his family for the past 38 years.
Jim graduated from Clover Park High School in 1965 and went on to earn his BA in Business and Accounting in 1969 from St. Martin College in Olympia, WA. Through his twenties and early thirties he worked as a General Contractor, Property owners /manager and real estate agent. In his thirties Jim, with long-time friend, mentor and father-figure, Mort Anderson, along with Mort's son, Mark became business partners and created CBM Systems Incorporated, an industrial custodial company. At 56, after helping to build, expand, and grow the company, Jim sold his share of the of the partnership and embarked on a whole new career! In 2006 he received his Masters degree in Pastoral Studies from Seattle University.
"And the Greatest of these Gifts is Love"
Jim met the love of his life in 1975 Kathy Louise Williams. They were married February 14th, 1976 at St. John Bosco Church surrounded by family and friends. They soon welcomed their first daughter, Erin Katherine and three years later another daughter, Shawn Anne. They spent the next 40 years working together, laughing, supporting and teaching their daughters how to love and cherish one another. They welcomed with open arms and big smiles their treasured Sons-in-law David Mylet (Shawn) and Greg Perkins (Erin), three granddaughters, Sidney(15), Eliot(11), Maggie(9) and two grandsons, his boys (finally!) Leon (4) and Conner (3), teaching them all what family is and means; to be so grateful for our blessings and to remember that the greatest gift to give and receive is love.
Jim, though very busy with work, always managed to find time to help his son in-laws with projects around their houses, take the grandkids for adventures to the beach and sit around the breakfast table for hours listening, discussing and talking with his daughters.
Jim, had a strong faith and a call to Ministry. As an adult he was always involved with his church. He worked on financial committees and numerous building projects for both St. John Bosco and St. Frances Cabrini. Throughout Jim and Kathy's years raising their family there was always a confirmation group gathering, a priest coming for dinner or a prayer group meeting at the house. Jim and Kathy had a deep faith and commitment to the Catholic Church and so it was a natural transition for him to become Parish Administrator at St Stephens, where he worked until his death just one month before his plans to retire.
Jim is survived by his wife of 40 years Kathy, his daughters Erin and Shawn, his sons-in-law Greg and Dave his grandchildren Sidney, Eliot, Maggie, Leon and Conner and his siblings, sister, Roberta and brother, John, aunts Marcella Kalning and Dolores Chartrand and numerous cousins. His family will remember him as an endlessly generous and cheerful light in the world, and his grandchildren will never forget their Popi's cheerful teasing and sense of fun. We will always remember him as a loving husband, father and grandfather who never stopped learning, working or caring for others. His loss is a great one.
“Say not in grief, ‘he is no more’ but live in thankfulness that he was.”
Hebrew Proverb
In lieu of flowers, we would welcome donations to the St. Frances Cabrini School 21st Century Endowment Fund or the charity of your choice.
The memorial will be held at St. Frances Cabrini Parish on December 9th, 2016 at 11:00am. There will be a Rosary preceding mass at 10:30am. A reception will follow after the service in Squier Hall.
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