Elsie Vivian Spencer

She was educated in the D.C. Public School System. Elsie attended, Charles Young Elementary, Browne Jr. High, Cardozo High, Spingarn High and Martha Washington School of Nursing.

During her youth and into adulthood she was a member of Greater Mount Pisgah Baptist Church under the guidance of the late Reverend Lloyd Young and the late Reverend James A. McKinnon. On August 31, 1997, Elsie joined New Solid Rock Church Ministries, Inc. under the leadership of Pastors Terrence J. and Taunya A. Melvin. She was actively involved in the ministry. In her early years she was the financial secretary then later became one of the mothers of the church.

Prior to finding the love of her life she was blessed with two lovely children, the late Stephen Vanderbilt and Sheila Anne Burke. Several years later true love found her and she married Bernard Ross Dickens on August 16, 1963. Elsie proudly accepted her step-daughter Stephanie Marvette Wagner into the family with open arms. From this union four children were born; D’Juana Rochelle, Bernard Ross II, Thaddeus Derrick and Cornelius Eric Dickens. Bernard also adopted Sheila Anne adding her to the Dickens clan and was step-father to the late Stephen V. Burke.

Later another love found Elsie, and on August 22, 1987, she was married to Leroy Spencer. With this union four children were added to the family. Elsie was the step-mother to Kevin L. Spencer, Kim L. Spencer, Kirk L. Spencer and the late Keith L. Spencer.

Her career goal was to become a nurse working in a hospital, instead she used her skills in aiding the needs of her family. She became employed with the U.S. Department of Agriculture hired as a secretary working in the Office of Operations. She retired in 1999, after more than twenty-five years of service. True relationships were formed that lasted down through the years.

Her favorite past time consisted of shopping, shopping for expensive cologne, watching television programs such as The Game Show Network, Country Westerns, The Andy Griffith Show, Murder She Wrote, just to name a few, but her favorite of all was Family Feud. She also enjoyed working on word search puzzles, eating out, and spending quality time with family and friends. Mama Elsie was a giver. She did not have a problem sharing her resources with others, she never wanted to send out a special occasion card without putting money in it. If you did anything for her she would make sure you would get a token of appreciation.

Elsie was also proceeded in death by her son, the late Stephen Vanderbilt Burke, her husband the late Leroy Spencer, great grandson the late Riley Michael Ferguson, son-in-law the late Rev. Ernest Hale Feaster, and step son the late Keith Leroy Spencer.

She leaves to cherish memories of her love, former husband Bernard R. Dickens, and her blended family, daughters Sheila (Dolly) A. Feaster and D’Juana (Dee) R. Dickens; Step daughters Stephanie M. Wagner and Kim L. Spencer; daughter-In-laws, Denise C.Burke, Lisa R. Dickens and Margaret Spencer; Sons, Bernard Ross II, Thaddeus D. and Cornelius E. (Yolanda) Dickens, step sons; Kevin L. (Evangelor) Spencer and Kirk L. Spencer; grandchildren Tramaine E. Feaster, Stephanie N. (Larone Jr.) Whiteside, Dawnyetta M. Burke, Antione W. Wade, Helena C. (Michael J.) Williams, Marcus R. Dickens, Brittany A. Dickens, Cornelius E. Dickens Jr., Alicia G. Dickens, (adopted granddaughter) Johnisha Webster, Thaddeus D. Dickens Jr., and (adopted grandson) Damone W. Plummer; great grandchildren, Justice R. Dickens and Tamela C. Williams; adopted daughters Stephanie Stewart, Jennifer Mitchell, Agnes Johnson, Magilene Murrell, and Nadine Prince; Goddaughters Maureen Williams and Geeriee Lewis; best friends Rosemary Williams, Patricia Lee- Ransom and Frances Jackson; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, including other loving extended family and friends.