Harry was a faithful and loyal husband to his wife of 68 years, Margery (Dickerson) Spence. He was a wonderful father to his five daughters: Susan Spence; Mary Huntington; Nancy Spence; Carol Spence; and Sandra Spence and her fiancé Ray Molella; a loving grandfather to grandson, Norbert Sperlich, III and fiancé Dauna Burnham, and granddaughter, Jessica Spence. In addition, he was a caring uncle to his nieces and nephews.
Harry, the youngest of five children, was born in Boston, Massachusetts, the dear son of the late John Walter Spence and Mary Frances (Kimball). In his early years, he enjoyed working as a film projectionist with his father, which he continued during the time he spent serving in the Army Air Corps as an honored veteran of World War II. He was also a Mason for 64 years.
He obtained his Doctorate in Law from Suffolk University in Boston and provided for his wife and five children as a well-respected Executive at Honeywell. Harry traveled for his career -- living in Massachusetts, Arizona, and New York. He eventually settled in Norwood, where he retired and enjoyed the rest of his life. He loved Norwood and sought many opportunities to participate in town politics. He was a major volunteer for the Norwood Town Board of Appeals, Concerts on the Common Committee, and the Norwood Light Department. He loved to talk, share stories, and was a man of great knowledge after reading a minimum of one book a week since the age of 10. You could find him quite frequently in the Norwood Public Library where he made a goal to read as many books as possible.
Harry lived an eventful life enjoying the company of many people along the way and always sought to see how he could help when someone was in need. Not only was he patient and kind-hearted, he could absolutely fix anything with the right tools in his workshop. He was a man who knew how to stay busy, and after his retirement, you could be sure to find him in his workshop where he created dozens of ship models, dollhouses, airplanes and even the model for the Norwood gazebo, which was built on the town common.
In addition, Harry, being a member of AAPA Printers Association as well as an outstanding writer, had two printing presses, which he used to create his weekly paper “Independence Way”. He devoted additional spare time teaching people how to read.
Harry always loved a good meal and was sure to know where to find a good one if he didn’t cook it himself. He loved to watch his favorite New England sports teams, the Patriots and Boston Red Sox, and was excited to see the Red Sox win not just one World Series in his lifetime, his wish for many years, but four. He was a fan of big band swing music, which would be frequently blasting as he worked on his crafts -- causing his family to have to shout to get his attention.
He loved his family dearly and was sure to tell anyone any chance he had, including people he just met. With so much love in his heart, he wanted to share it with as many people as possible, and he did. He leaves behind a legacy of wisdom for all those who had the opportunity to know him and experience the pure joy he most definitely brought to their lives.
Please join the family for visiting hours on Sunday July 28th from 4pm to 8pm at Gillooly Funeral Home,126 Walpole Street, Norwood, MA, 02062. Funeral service and burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Old Colony Hospice, 321 Manley Street, West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, 02379.
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