Leslie Ann Spencer

Leslie Ann Spencer 6/9/1952 - 3/10/2017. Leslie Spencer was one of six children born to William and Margaret Terry. She was a graduate of Lake Orion High School, where she was a cheerleader, a member of the marching band, and was named Most Dramatic by her classmates. Leslie received her bachelor's degree from Ferris State University, but her heart always belonged to her Michigan State Spartans. GO GREEN!

Leslie proudly raised four children, her sons Michael, Joshua, and Robert, and her daughter Tracy. She was a consummate volunteer, dedicating time to the Special Olympics, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the National Cherry Festival, and the music festivals at Hoxeyville and the Harvest Gathering, which held a special place in her life.

Leslie was devoted to her family, and defined that term more broadly than many, embracing those who shared her love of life, adventure, peace, and camaraderie as brothers and sisters, and reaching out to those who needed a place to belong. Holiday celebrations and special occasions often included what she affectionately referred to as "the strays", a term she used to describe the eclectic blend of people brought together into a warm, cohesive group by her openness and generosity.

Leslie helped build two small, local businesses in Traverse City; House of Pets and Scuba North. She also was an instructor at Northwestern Michigan College, teaching Drafting and Design, Engineering Drawing, and Statistical Process Control. She was proud of being a female engineer, and enthusiastically shared her knowledge with her students. She worked diligently to help them develop their skills, and often spoke proudly of their accomplishments, and would receive letters and calls from students years later to share their successes.

One of Leslie's great joys was bringing people together, and her parties and events were legendary. Leslie coordinated huge parties to commemorate the end of finals at NMC, taking her students and their families canoeing, and following up with a grand barbecue for everyone. She was also the driving force behind the annual Underwater Treasure Hunt hosted by Scuba North, utilizing her broad base of connections to find donors for prizes and to help raise funds for the causes benefited by the proceeds. Leslie had a tremendous ability to plan and coordinate, and used that to great effect in her role as the travel coordinator for Scuba North, organizing some of the most exciting trips imaginable to exotic locations throughout the Caribbean, Central America, and the South Pacific. Leslie had a special love of Honduras, as well as the fond memories she had of her adventures in Cuba, Bali Indonesia, Yap, and Palau.

Leslie believed in living hard, loving fully, and treating others with dignity. She embraced the fact that life is about the journey, and the people you can touch during your time on Earth. She was always seeking new experiences, and spent much of her life, scuba diving, kayaking, mountain biking, skydiving, camping, and hiking. She proudly shared these adventures with her family, and made certain that her children experienced and learned about as many things as possible. Leslie often beamed with joy while detailing her sons' abilities at cooking, sewing, crafts, and survival skills, and her daughter Tracy was her almost constant companion on her adventures (except skydiving, as anyone who knows Tracy would understand).

A celebration of the life of Leslie Spencer will be held at the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home in Traverse City on March 25, 2017, starting with a period of fellowship at 10:00 a.m., followed by a memorial service at 11:00 a.m.

Those wishing an expression of sympathy may direct contributions to the family of Leslie Spencer, c/o Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home, 305 6th Street, Traverse City, MI 49684.