Spencer Alan Cooreman

Born September 7, 1970, in South Bend, Indiana to Frederick Steve Cooreman and Geraldine (Gerry) Nagy Cooreman. Spencer grew up surrounded by a loving extended family and many treasured friends. As a child, you’d likely find him outside catching crayfish, riding bikes, or fishing with his brother Sean and sister Kim. Just before he entered kindergarten, Spencer’s family moved to Michigan, where he lived on Sand Creek and first encountered what would become two of his lifelong passions: freshwater stream ecosystems and motorcycles.

While most of his peers were still riding Big Wheels, 4-year-old Spencer Alan mastered riding a 50-cc minibike. By fifth grade, he moved on to a Yamaha YZ80. Spencer’s fascination with high-performance machines continued throughout his life. If it had gears, a motor, or electrical components, he could be counted upon to take it apart, figure out how it worked, and then put it back together, oftentimes better than he found it. Spencer was mechanical, inventive, and could ride, drive, or fix just about anything.

Playing center on Saranac’s championship youth football team, driving tractors on his dad’s farm, meeting his stepmother, Patti Sikkelee Cooreman and enjoying Michigan’s lakes and trails were just a few additional highlights of Spencer’s early years.

Academically gifted, a natural leader, and a crack shot, Spencer attended high school at Howe Military Academy, where he was valedictorian, state rifle champion, Battalion XO (Executive Officer), and a West Point nominee.

In 1989, Spencer moved to Ann Arbor and became a proud Wolverine, graduating from the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and the Environment (School for Environment and Sustainability) in 1994. Spencer enjoyed summers spent studying invasive species and freshwater stream ecology at U of M’s Biological Field Station, where he managed to squeeze in many sailing and fishing trips on Douglas Lake while working towards his B.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Policy.

In 1992, Spencer met his wife, Jennifer, while they were both students at U of M. Married in 1996, the 33 years they shared were marked by joy and loss, but always underscored by an unwavering love. Together, they restored two historic homes in Ann Arbor, briefly lived in South Carolina and Utah, and ultimately landed in Colorado Springs, where they raised their three cherished children, Hayden Owen, 24, Ava Christine, 21, and Mason Owen, 16.

In the Springs, Spencer worked as a renewable energy and transmission, siting, and land rights consultant. He leaves an indelible mark on the renewable energy landscape in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and New York states. While he took pride in his contributions to developing utility scale wind farms across the US, he valued most the relationships he built with his landowners.

Spencer was a true polymath: sailing, fishing, woodworking, photography, motorcycle riding, vintage stereos, ecology, architecture, and the oceans were just a few of the hobbies and subjects that captivated him. But he especially loved working on and riding his Yamaha MT-10. He was an expert rider who loved changing his oil and modifying his exhaust almost as much as he loved exploring Colorado’s scenic byways. Having a cup of chili at the top of Pike’s Peak, or visiting a nearby mountain stream, were among his favorite destinations. He had a special affinity for designing and modding high performance vehicles, including a turbocharged rotary engine Mazda RX-7 that drew crowds whenever he took it out for a drive.

But of all his many interests and passions, none came close to the love he shared with his family. Supportive, encouraging, hardworking, and steadfast, he never missed an opportunity to show his love in word or deed. His family will miss his top-tier dad jokes, impromptu ice cream excursions, and even how he accidentally trained Butter Puppy to bark during dinner by relentlessly feeding her treats under the table.

Spencer leaves behind a legacy of love, strength, and kindness that all who know and love him hope to carry forward in his honor. His steady, quiet faith brought him peace, and we believe he’ll be cheering us on from above exactly as he did in life, and waiting patiently until we all meet again.

His wife and three children, along with countless family members, friends, and co-workers, will forever mourn his loss.

A memorial and celebration of Spencer’s life will be held December 14, 2024, at 2:00 pm at Swan-Law Funeral Home, 501 North Cascade Avenue in Colorado Springs, with a reception immediately following.

In Spencer’s memory, extend kindness to someone today, whether that be to yourself, someone you know, or a total stranger.

“The world is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion.” Thomas Paine