John “Jack” Edward Spencer, 93, of Great Falls, died August 17, 2024, at his home surrounded by family. John was born February 11, 1931 in Arlington, WA to Henry & Frances (Faires) Spencer. He graduated from Arlington in 1949, where he played basketball and lettered in baseball.
In October 1950, John joined the United States Air Force. His first deployment was to Germany. After a brief stay in Germany, he was transferred to England, where he met the love of his life, Dulce Cracknell.
John and Dulce were married in England on October 24, 1953 (which happened to be the first day of hunting season in Montana). They boarded the USS General Upshur on August 26, 1954, and arrived in New York Harbor on September 2, 1954. In May 1955, their first son, Michael, was born at Scott AFB in Illinois. They continued to grow their family while living a military life – living in 23 homes for 26 years. Their only daughter, Pamela, was born at Larson AFB in Washington in 1957, and another son, John, was born at Vandenberg AFB in California in 1966.
After 26 years of service, John retired, having made many lifelong friendships and unforgettable memories along the way. He was only 18 months away from receiving his Chief Stripes, but that would have required him to move to Korea. John and Dulce were happy in Great Falls and very involved in the community, so they decided to stay.
John had only been retired for two days when he returned to work at Deaconess Hospital. His goal was to become as valuable a member of the management team as possible. His motto was, “We can fix anything except broken hearts and promises, and we leave that to the nursing staff.” He stayed at the hospital for 15 years before finally retiring. Over the years, he also volunteered for 23 organizations.
In recent years, John enjoyed shooting at the trap club, gardening, and researching his family’s ancestry, but most of all he was grateful for visits with his friends and family, which often included “straw fights” and shared Triple Chocolate Meltdowns.
To read the full obituary and to share your condolences, click here to visit the Croxford Funeral Home website.
