RICHARD W. SPENCER

RICHARD WOODROW SPENCER

February 9, 1919 – April 3, 2020

Richard Woodrow Spencer died in his Hiram, Ohio home on April 3, 2020, at the age of 101. Richard, known as Dick, was a widely known and respected life resident of Hiram Village and served as its Postmaster from 1966 to 1980.

Born February 9, 1919, he was the fourth son of Vesta Marie Baker and William Reece Spencer. The family lived many places in Hiram but his birthplace was the small house at 6796 Wakefield Road. Most of his early life was spent at the in town property now known as The Lily Ponds, owned by Dick’s maternal grandparents Melvin and Edith DeLand Baker. At that time there was a large Victorian house with carriage barn, beside which the Bakers dug the spring-fed pond and built the stone bridge and several greenhouses. This was a cheerful center of both community and Hiram College social life in the early 20th century. The Bakers also owned a property at Redbird Beach, Madison-on-the-Lake, and Dick spent many childhood summers on the shores of Lake Erie.

Dick’s father Reece, born in Hiram in 1888, was the fifth generation of farmers who arrived in the Connecticut Western Reserve from New England. Before Ohio, seven generations of the family were resident in Suffield, CT. Dick loved history and was proud of his many ancestors buried in the Hiram Rapids and Mantua Township cemeteries. They have wonderful names: Elam, Urial, Clarissa, Newton, Estella.

Dick attended Hiram High School, graduating in 1936. He was active in sports, debate club, band and chorus. Although small he was a fine athlete, and he loved playing trombone. He became interested in a classmate who moved to Hiram Township in 1932, the bright and vivacious Evelynne Troyer. An “older woman” (by one year), Evvie was dating Dick’s best friend Charles Reynard Jr. The three of them were part of a close circle of high school friends, creative and musical, who thrived under the leadership of progressive principal Reign Hadsell. Evelynne was destined to marry not Charlie, but young Dick Spencer. She became his Shining Star (his words) and lifelong companion.

Dick and Evvie both enrolled at Hiram College, classes of ’39 and ‘42. Due to the Depression, impending war, and strain of three older brothers also in college, work often took precedence for Dick. He delivered milk for the family business, Spencer Farms Dairy, and became proficient at tree surgery and surveying. He then worked at the Ravenna Arsenal both during and after World War II (1941-63, interrupted by military service). His last employment before becoming Hiram Postmaster was with the Chrysler Corporation in Twinsburg (1964-66).

Dick and Evelynne were married in 1939. They first lived at the Baker property in Hiram, where Evvie remained during Dick’s Army service (1944-46) and where their first two children were born. In 1947, Grandfather Baker sold them a farmhouse and thirty acres of land across the street and up the hill, at the west end of Hiram Village, where they lived out the rest of their long lives – 73 years. A third child, Tracy, was born there in 1956.

Dick’s contributions to Hiram life were many. He served on Village Council, Board of Public Affairs, Planning Commission, and many committees. He was a staunch defender of the Hiram Municipal Power Plant until conditions dictated change, then he chaired the group that recommended sale to Ohio Edison. He served on several Hiram College committees including planning for Sesquicentennial events (1998-2000).

Dick’s grandparents were very active in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and had moved to Hiram in 1905 so their daughters could attend Hiram College, then closely allied with the church. Dick became a life member of Hiram Christian Church, serving as Deacon, Elder, and Vice-chair. He chaired the finance committee and trustees numerous times, arranged purchase of the property for the current office and education building, and chaired the committee that oversaw a major renovation of the church sanctuary in 1982. He was a dedicated member of the church choir for over sixty years. In recent years he and Evelynne endowed a fund for maintenance of the church’s pipe organ.

Dick was active with basketball, softball, tennis, bowling, and golf. He sang in Hiram Men’s Chorus and other groups and played in the community band. He sang baritone in a celebrated local barbershop quartet, The Hiramites, with his friends Richard Fay, Jim Chalker, and Bill Hurd. He appeared in college and community plays and musicals, the first as a child in 1927.

Dick and Evelynne sold some of their property for the Kenyon Drive neighborhood and were charter members of the Kenyon Pool Association. Dick was part of Hiram Development, Inc., a small organization that procured property for the Hiram Municipal Building, Hiram Historical Building, and village ball field. This group also bought and sold land for Hiram’s industrial park on Winrock Road.

Dick was a gentleman and the last of the unforgettable Greatest Generation in Hiram Village. His good nature and many thoughtful acts while Postmaster and in other capacities will be remembered.

Dick’s beloved wife of 78 years, Evelynne Troyer Spencer, died in 2017 at the age of 99. He was also predeceased by his brothers Kelly, William Reece Jr. (Bill), and James, and all the friends of his youth. He is survived by son Gary DeLand Spencer (Mary) of Hiram; daughters Tina Vivian Spencer Dreisbach (Paul) of Hiram and Tracy Annette Spencer (Hank Davis) of Brooklin, ME; grandchildren Dawn C. Dreisbach of Framingham, MA; Jennifer Spencer Jankowski (Marc) of Medina; John Spencer Dreisbach (Holly) of Monterey, CA; Brian Richard Spencer of Hiram; Julian Spencer Davis (Kiara) of East Sandwich, MA; Vesta Victoria Davis of Bethlehem, NH; and great-grandchildren Brittany Kline of Brooklyn, OH and Coben and Magdalena Dreisbach of Monterey, CA. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews; cousins Roger Baker of Greensboro, NC and Douglas Hurd of Garrettsville; and sister in law Marilane Bixler Spencer.

The family is forever grateful to our cousin Gail Troyer Hovey, devoted caregiver to both our parents in the last years of their lives.

Our parents, lifelong New Deal Democrats, were kind and generous donors. Besides church and college they supported civil rights, historic preservation, environmental issues, and ethical treatment of animals. Memorial gifts are not necessary in these difficult times but can be made to Hiram Christian Church or the Hiram Historical Society.

There will be a service of remembrance for both Richard and Evelynne at a later date.

(Not everyone’s life span is so auspicious as Dick’s: born 1919, died 2020.)
Arrangements for Dick were entrusted to Mallory-DeHaven-Carlson Funeral Home & Cremation Services 8382 Center St. Garrettsville, OH 44231.