Wanda Lou Spence

Born on a homestead in Wyoming which later became part of Grand Teton National Park, Lou suffered early trauma at age five when her mother died and her family moved to Oklahoma. The shock left Lou barely able to speak with people, but she found solace and comfort with the animals on the farm, especially horses, with whom she developed an intuitive bond that lasted a lifetime. Lou graduated from Mary Hardin-Baylor College in Belton, Texas, and married Ken Spence in Texas in 1950, and had 4 sons – David, Mark, Jason, and Jonathan. Raising 4 boys did not dim her love of horses, and in the 1960’s she became a District Commissioner for the Pony Club of America, helping young men and women learn English-style riding, and jumping horses in competitions around the Northwest. In 1978 she began a career in horse racing, breeding, training, and racing the babies of her beloved horse Doctrine’s Heather. Two of Heather’s babies went on to compete as jumpers with the United States and Canadian Olympic teams. Lou showed the toughness of her frontier roots throughout her life, surviving colon cancer in 1994, and later heart bypass surgery. Her youngest son Jonathan passed away in 1998, her eldest son David passed in 2004, and her husband Ken followed in 2009. More recently her son Mark died in 2019. Throughout all these trials Lou remained the center, and the strength of her family. Lou instilled a love of animals in her family, particularly a love for her horses, baby-talking to these 1200-pound creatures and referring to herself as their “mother.” She also found great joy and purpose in helping to raise her granddaughters, Valerie, Jennifer, Michelle and Alaina, and her great-granddaughter Sofia. In later years Lou just rode her horses for pleasure, and only recently had to give that up. She has passed over to the next life at peace and unafraid, leaving her family saddened, but strengthened by her love and kindness, and the example she gave us of a life well-lived. She is survived by her son Jason and his wife Sharon, granddaughters Valerie and her husband Nathan, Michelle and her husband Nate, and Alaina and Lou’s great-granddaughter Sofia. We will miss her. Lou's memorial service has been postponed for now. If you would like further information, please email [email protected].