On June 10th, 2021 Major (Ret.) Richard Simeon Spencer, 82 passed away peacefully at Ottawa, Ontario.

Major (Ret.) Richard (Rick) Spencer was born on January 20th, 1939 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Raised in Terence Bay, he left home at the age of 16 to join the 4th intake of the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals Soldier Apprentices. These two formative years and the young men with whom he bonded and stayed connected to for many years later, he cherished deeply. Rick proudly served the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals and Communications and Electronics Branch for 35 years. He is most proud of his accomplishments on the Canadian Armed Forces Advisory and Training Team Tanzania (CAFATTT) in 1969 having participated in the construction of the military of a foreign nation. While overseas, Rick and his family traveled through Europe and made many ex-pat friends. He returned to Canada in 1976 and was posted in CFB Kingston, CFB Trenton and CFB Halifax before retiring at CNDA Ottawa (Rockcliffe). After retiring from the military, Rick worked for another nine years for the federal PWGSC department in the National Capital Region.

Rick was loved by many family and friends. He was extremely proud of his children and grand-children having provided to them so many opportunities he himself did not have.
Rick was a great story-teller, joker, lover of music and food. He loved to be silly and embarrass himself and his loved ones to make them crack a smile. Forever a sweet tooth, many a grandchild would sneak from grandpa’s desk stash of candy that was always ready for sharing. Rick was also a devout Christian whose faith brought him great peace and joy. In his retirement, Rick particularly enjoyed taking care of his grandkids with his wife Sarah, tending to his garden and staying connected to his military mates.
Rick was preceded in death by his father Simeon, his mother Mary Mathilda, his sister Diane, his son Roy. He is survived by his loving wife Sarah, four children, Rick (Pam), Mark (Naydeen), Diane (Daniel) and Lydia (Chris), sibling Arthur (Nancy), former spouse Maureen, and grandchildren Amanda (Jason), James, Daniel, Martin, Sonya, Madeline, Che, and Spencer.

For expressions of condolence, please contact https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/Jid4icHV.
Donations in lieu of flowers may be sent to the Kidney Foundation. Here is the direct link: https://kidney.akaraisin.com/ui/generaldonation/donations/start

Photo: Dennis Jarvis from Halifax, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Source: https://ottawacitizen.remembering.ca/obituary/major-ret-richard-spencer-1082586651