Laura Spencer
Laura Ross Spencer, 78, passed away Saturday, January 12, 2019. Funeral service will be held 2 P.M., Friday, January 18, 2019 at Coker-Mathews Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Candice Womack officiating. Visitation will be from 1 P.M. until service time. Burial will be in Forest Park Cemetery.
Born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on September 6, 1940 to Hudman Langley and Augusta Payne Langley, Laura Spencer went on to graduate Enterprise High School in Enterprise, Alabama, and then on to The University of Alabama (Roll Tide!) where she completed a major in English. Following graduation, she taught high school English in both Montgomery and Birmingham, Alabama. Her influence even inspired a group of her male students to form an extra-curricular writing club, “The Scribblers.” It was love at first sight when she met Lee Spencer, and the couple was married in Montgomery in June, 1966. With Lee, she worked for a time as technical writer for Boeing and the Apollo space program in Huntsville, Alabama. She was a devoted, creative, and loving mother to her son, Clayton, and advocating on his behalf, helped to bring enrichment programming to students of the Greenville, Texas local schools. Convinced of the value of creative play for the development of children of all ages, an idea became reality as she opened and operated a specialty toy store, The Imagination Machine, in Greenville. Ever connected to the larger Greenville community, Mrs. Spencer contributed to the life and vitality of United Presbyterian Church, Junior Palace, community garden clubs, bridge clubs, and many other social organizations.
Laura Spencer will be remembered by her family and her many friends for her warmth, gentle compassion, southern hospitality, playful energy, generous spirit, and stimulating conversation arising from her ever inquisitive mind. She is survived by her husband, Lee Spencer of Greenville; son, Clayton and wife Rebecca and grandson, Benjamin, all of Jacksonville, Illinois.
Memorials may be made to United Presbyterian Church, 5905 Stonewall Street, Greenville, Texas 75402.