Danny E. Spence

Danny Earl Spence passed away on the 21st day of December, 2024. He arrived on the 10th of August in 1943, born in the middle of what would be Walter Carlton Spence and Beulah Faye Spence’s three children.

Danny is survived by his wife of 62 years, Marian Coleman Spence; his children: Lance Spence of Denton, Texas, Christopher Spence and his wife Jamie of Flower Mound, Texas, Jarrett Spence and his wife Angela of Bryan, Texas, and Matthew Spence and his wife Naomi of Willis, Texas; and his grandchildren: Amanda Spence of Dallas, Texas, Larissa Lott of Lewisville, Texas, Alexandra Ramirez of San Antonio, Texas, Aria Burns of Dallas, Texas, Ashton Spence of Lubbock, Texas, Landry Spence of Naples, Italy, Logan Parrish of Flower Mound, Texas, Luke Parrish of Flower Mound, Texas, Gavin Spence of Willis, Texas, Jayce Spence of Willis, Texas, Emma Spence of Bryan, Texas, Ella Spence of Bryan, Texas, Stryker Spence of Flower Mound, Texas; his great grandchildren: Leighton Ramirez of San Antonio, Texas, Axton Ramirez of San Antonio, Texas, and Leland Burns of Dallas, Texas.

He was born in Freeport, Texas and raised in Lake Jackson, Texas where his passion was playing baseball. He attended Brazosport High School in Freeport where he played basketball and baseball and also where he met his future wife, Marian Coleman of Clute, Texas.

He graduated from Brazosport in 1961 and enrolled at Sam Houston State University in the fall of 1961. Meanwhile, his true love, Marian, attended Texas Women’s University 200 miles away. They decided to be married in April, 1962. As husband and wife, they moved to Huntsville, Texas in August, 1962.

In order to support his family, Danny began working in a pool hall in September where he was able to work and also go to college full time. He became quite skilled at shooting pool and started gambling around the area to pay for tuition and books. In 1963, Danny had the opportunity to play two exhibition matches with the one and only Minnesota Fats.

Since playing pool still left his new family short of money, he decided to take a position with the Texas Department of Corrections. His responsibilities included internal security in maximum security cell blocks and riding during searches for escaped inmates. It also afforded him some extra time to study. Danny worked there from January 1964 until January 1966.

Danny received his B.B.A. in Business and Political Science from Sam Houston in May, 1965. He immediately began his Master’s Degree there and was offered a Teaching fellowship in principles of micro economics. He received his Master’s Degree in Finance and Economics in January, 1967 and accepted a position as systems analyst with Moore Business Forms in Denton, Texas. He worked there until September, 1969 when he decided to begin work on his PHD at North Texas State University (UNT). He accepted a teaching fellowship in marketing and economics and became president of Signa Iota Epsilon, the professional management fraternity. He was one of a select few candidates given responsibility for teaching a full staff teaching load while also carrying a full student course load.

In January, 1973, Danny seized the opportunity to become the Executive Vice President of the Management Research and Development Institute in Wichita, Kansas. It was educational, challenging and rewarding, but it proved difficult for a 31-year-old to gain credibility and provide the confidence the clients needed to be comfortable. In order to gain more management experience, Danny accepted the position of Manager, Management Development and Employee Relations for the Data Processing Division of NCR Corporation in Wichita.

With Danny’s desire to get into the energy industry, he was fortunate enough to be offered a position in Fort Worth, Texas as Corporate Manager, Management Development for Champlin Petroleum Company (Union Pacific Corporation). He took that position in February, 1976 and remained there until April, 1979 when Diamond Shamrock Corporation offered him the opportunity to become Corporate Director, Organization Development.

In early 1982, Diamond Shamrock’s chairman asked Danny to go to Washington, D.C. to serve on President Reagan’s Grace Commission as consultant to the Environmental Protection Agency. He worked with the White House staff until the end of 1985. At that time, he was promoted to Vice President of Diamond Shamrock’s Industrial Lubricants Division.

All along, Danny had dreamed of having his own company. He knew that it would be difficult to leave his Vice Presidency with Diamond Shamrock because of the financial impact it would have on his family. But in 1987, he decided it was time to make the jump into independence and he founded Procorp. It was a tough couple of years in the beginning, but things started to look good in 1989.

He landed several accounts in manufacturing and retail, but still aspired to be in the oil and gas business. In 1999, he had the opportunity to work with two large energy companies. For the next twenty years, Procorp Associates, Inc. grew into a 100-million-dollar company. Danny traveled to more than 60 countries and to 49 states. Marian, who often traveled with him, visited almost 30 countries and half of the United States.

At 66 years of age, Danny retired and settled into a comfortable life with his family. This life included several years of playing professional poker in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. It also involved significant financial support for the Brazosport Class of 1961 Class Reunions. During his previous work in the entertainment industry, he had developed many friendships with entertainers and singers. So, he and Marian decided to bring several of them to the class reunions. The included The Platters, Frankie Avalon twice, Fabian, Connie Stevens, James Darren, Kathy Young, Jimmy Clanton, Bobby Rydell and The Shirelles.

Although his last few years included diabetes, heart failure and kidney failure; his last many years were filled with enjoyment with his close friends. Danny and his beloved Marian took great pride in the family tree they had planted. A great tree, whose shade would be left for many others to enjoy. His legacy is one of love, honor, and devotion to his family and friends.

A funeral service for Danny will be held Sunday, December 29, 2024 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM at Forest Park The Woodlands Funeral Home & Cemetery, 18000 Interstate 45 S, The Woodlands, Texas 77384 to be followed by a committal service will occur Sunday from 3:00 PM to 3:15 PM with a reception to occur occur Sunday, December 29, 2024 from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM at Forest Park The Woodlands.