Richard Horne Spencer

Funeral service to be held Friday, Apr 4, 2025 at 11am in Payson, Utah
Obituary and Funeral Details
Funeral Livestream

This week my sweet dad, Richard Spencer, finally rested after 80 extraordinary years of life. The father of twelve, my dad led a truly remarkable life, marked by service, integrity, optimism, and hard work.

Dad taught me how to work and how to serve. He sold real estate, and owned and managed apartments. As his youngest child, even as I grew older I was the recurring pick as “go-for,” his assistant to go with him on any repair job, sit by his side and hand him tools. I have many childhood memories of making late night plumbing or electric repairs with him so tenants wouldn’t have to endure discomfort. I also filled the role of his companion on “home teaching” service visits to members of our church congregation. Dad went above and beyond in this service, bringing me along to listen to their troubles, share a scripture, or fix their homes and shovel their driveways. All I know of service and generosity I learned at the side of my father who gave broadly of his time and energy without judgement and my angel mother who cared for him and all of us.

Dad lived with Parkinson’s disease for the last 30 years of his life—the majority of my lifetime. It was heartbreaking to watch the decades-long decline of the most capable person I know slowly losing his ability to work, to walk, to think clearly, and to speak. As his remaining single child I often had the blessing once again to stand by his side as his assistant, and watch him experience those changes with an attitude of humility, resilience and grace.

It is, of course, sad for him to have passed just three months before my marriage, but many of the tears shed have been of gratitude for his enduring presence and love, even in his decline. It is truly miraculous to have had so many years together. This week has also been full of God’s tender mercies—little love notes that made the timing of his passing feel divine: a trip to China I felt the need to cancel last minute, friends reaching out spontaneously at just the right moment, the fact that Rebekah got to spend a lot of time getting to know him over the past year, and so many more. God is truly good.

The photo above is the one with the biggest, most sincere smile we could find. It is from a group photo taken just before I left for two years of missionary service. He was remarkably successful and talented at everything he undertook, but I think that picture is symbolic of his core identity: a loving father, most happy and proud when he got to see his children going about doing good.

To those of you who have always asked about how he’s doing every time I see you, thank you so much for caring. Your love has been deeply felt and appreciated. I can confidently say that he is now at peace.