Claude Ernest Spicer

Claude was born in Joynes, NC on December 30, 1938 to John and Bessie Spicer. The Spicer family moved to Maryland in 1951. When Claude came to NC to visit his older sister and met his future wife he decided to make NC his home.

At an early age, Claude worked in a junkyard around cars and mechanical parts. After he married Willie Mae Julian he turned the experience of his youth to a successful career working as a mechanic for Thurston Motor Lines. Aspiring to be his own boss he bought a Crown gas station that he and his brother James ran together. Claude turned his focus back to the trucking industry, working for Ryder PIE until they closed the doors in 1991. Claude yearned to once again own his own business, so he began working on lawn care equipment and small engines at his home. This new venture outgrew the small garage he built in just a few years, so he invested his life savings into Harrisburg Lawn Mower Service. You could find Claude at his shop six days a week for the last 25 years. His lifelong dream had come to fruition and he gratefully invested in the Harrisburg community by participating in fundraisers as simple as the church hot dog sale, employing locals and buying gift wrap and candy from schoolchildren. On Sunday afternoon you knew he’d be at home listening to NASCAR on his radio just as he did as a boy. Claude was a man of few words unless you asked him about the 2-4 race cars that were sitting on his business property. After his wife’s death, Claude decided to pursue his dream of being involved in racing and at the age of 70 Claude purchased his first dirt track race car. This passion sparked new life into his relationship with his sons. After his wife of 51 years passed away his sons started drifting apart, building their own careers and spending time with their children. Then came the call from their dad that he needed drivers and a pit crew. The next four – five years were filled with memories that Claude’s sons will recant every time they gather for a Spicer event. Claude owned as many as five race cars at one time and his team won several races in the Charlotte area. Claude’s dream of racing rejuvenated the bond between him and his sons, and also between the brothers. Racing became such a family event that his brother James, daughter-in-laws, grandsons, granddaughters, nieces, and long-time family friends could be seen in his cars’ pit. Claude never made it just about racing. If you were a member of his crew you could count on a stop at the fish camp on the way to the track and midnight breakfast at Denny’s on the way home. Often two or more of Claude’s cars would be battling against each other on the track and that continued when they got to Denny’s where the boys would race to get the tab before Claude.

Claude inspired his sons to be the best men they could be and showed them that the result of hard work is success, confidence, and the ability to take care of yourself and your family.

Claude is survived by his four sons, Ronnie (Jean), Doug (Gloria Pittman), Jeff (Pam), and Travis (Jennifer), his grandchildren: Camille, Patricia, Chris, Emily, TJ, Katie, Tyler, and Cole; his brother, James Carl Spicer, his sisters Louise Humphrey (Harold) and Doris Lee; several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Willie Spicer, his parents, and his sisters Carol Lucas and Mae Julian.

Visitation is scheduled for 10:00 am until 12:00 pm on Friday, July 24, 2020 at McEwen Funeral Service-Mint Hill Chapel, 7428 Matthews-Mint Hill Rd, Mint Hill NC with his funeral service following at 12:00 pm in McEwen’s Chapel. Claude will be buried alongside his wife at Sharon Memorial Park, 5716 Monroe Road, Charlotte NC immediately after the celebration of his life.

Condolences may be offered online at www.mcewenminthillchapel.com.