BILLY C. SPENCER
August 28, 1921 - June 1, 2006
Dad’s Story
Born and raised in a small town in Oklahoma, Bill liked to kid that Eldorado was the “hub of the world - because everything went around it”. But to him, Eldorado was the universe for he was blessed with a loving family and a wonderful upbringing.
Bill was born in 1921 to Roy King and Leona Spencer. Following Bill came his brother, Roy Edwin, and together they would tell strangers that between them they each had five sisters. And indeed they did: Aline, Jeannetta, Wynona, Kata and Martina.
Growing up during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, Bill excelled at academics and sports. He often said that when he was a boy he wrote down his three wishes for life: To become a pilot; to become an executive of a company and make $10,000 a year; and to have a family like he had growing up.
Bill’s first wish came true. With the outbreak of WWII Bill joined the Army Air Corps and became a B-17 pilot, eventually earning the rank of 1st lieutenant. During the war he met and fell in love with a dark haired beauty from Chicago, Ruth Hornick. He wooed her from afar and flew training flights as often as he could to see her in Chicago. They married in 1946 and settled in Dallas, Texas.
Bill attained his second goal. Starting out as salesman for the Lawyers‚ Co-Operative Publishing Company in Texas, Bill advanced through the organization and eventually became Director of Marketing in the home office of Rochester, New York. Bill was then promoted to President and CEO of the legal publishing company, Bancroft-Whitney - one of the oldest business enterprises in San Francisco. During these years, Bill and Ruth made their home in Atherton initially and later in Los Altos where they lived for many years after Bill retired in 1986. In recent years, Bill and Ruth lived in Georgetown, Texas, just outside of Austin.
But it was the fulfillment of his third wish that gave him the most pride. He and Ruth were about to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary when he passed away. For him, Ruth was the love of his life. Together they raised three children: Andrea, Renee, and Craig. Andrea and Tom Meece reside in El Paso, Texas. Renee and Gene Jantzen reside in Georgetown, Texas. Craig and Beth Spencer live in San Francisco, CA. Bill dearly loved his children and their spouses. And he will always be known as “Papa” to his grandkids: Mathew Meece and his fiancé, Lexi Mealy ; Megan Meece; MacKenzie Miller and Morgan Miller Buchek and husband Brian; Lauren, Connor and Caroline Spencer.
To his friends, Bill will be remembered for his good nature and humor. To the people he worked with, he will be remembered for his common touch and fairness - traits he learned because he never forgot his roots. To his family, he will be remembered for his love and devotion.
Memories may be shared with the family at billycspencer@cox.net.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Bill’s memory to St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital, www.stjude.org.
A Celebration of our Dad’s life will be in Georgetown, TX, St. Helen’s Catholic Church, 2700 E. University Ave., Thursday, June 15th at 10:30 am.
Bill always said “I’m so proud of my family”. From Ruth, the kids and grandkids, we just want to say “Dad, we’re so proud of you and we will always love you and miss you more than words can express”.
