Donald Lewis Spencer Sr.

Don was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He attended public schools in Oxford, Topeka and Russell, Kansas; and Tulsa, Oklahoma. A decorated combat veteran of World War II, his service began in 1943 when he enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps as an Aviation Cadet. From 1944 to 1945, as an armorer/tail gunner on a Martin Marauder B-26 Bomber with the Ninth Air Force, he flew 26 combat missions over Germany. After his discharge in 1945 he attended Tulsa University and served in the United States Army Air Force and the Air Force Reserves, 1945 to 1952.

Don married Imogene Lucille Gabbard of Tulsa, Oklahoma, in Leavenworth, Kansas, on December 7, 1946, and worked for Helmerich & Payne, Inc., Cardinal Division, in Tulsa as a bookkeeper clerk and map draftsman until 1949 when he moved with his wife and the first of their three sons to the Coos Bay, Oregon, area. Don was employed by the Menasha Corp., Plywood Division, as an Assistant Controller and later as Administrative Superintendent at Menasha's Pulp and Paper Division. In 1967, he accepted a position with Georgia Pacific Corp., Chemical Division, Portland, Oregon, as a Financial Analyst and moved his family to the Portland area. In 1970, he went to work for Columbia Helicopters, Inc., of Aurora, Oregon, as their Controller and later became an officer of the corporation, retiring in January 1987. He and Imogene moved to Whale Cove near Depoe Bay, Oregon, in 1988, and then to Salem, Oregon, in 1990.

He was a member of the Episcopal Church, life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the 394th Bomb Group Assoc., the B-26 Marauder Historical Society, and a life member of the Elks. He enjoyed his family, wood working, flower gardening, fishing and hunting. In retirement, Don authored several books, the subject of which covered his years of war-time service. "WWII Missions, Letters, Notes and Remembrances" was accepted by the Library of Congress, Veterans History Project, in Washington, D.C., and in 2004 he was honored and humbled to see it chosen as one of a limited number of stories selected for cover to cover digitization on their website.

He was preceded in death by three brothers and three sisters. Survivors include his wife, Imogene; sons, Donald L. Spencer, Jr., of Beaverton, Oregon, Robert R. Spencer of Bothell, Washington, William H. Spencer of Portland, Oregon; his brother William J. Spencer of McMinnville, Oregon; his sisters Ruth Spencer Ashcraft of Vacaville, California, and Helen Spencer Edwards of Boise, Idaho; and his three granddaughters. Contributions in lieu of flowers may be made in his name to the American Cancer Society.