John L. "Jack" Spencer

John L. "Jack" Spencer, age 80, of Perry, died on Thursday January 14, 2016 at the Batavia Health Care Center in Batavia.
Jack was born in Buffalo, New York on December 28, 1935, a son of the late George and Bernice Manquen. After birth Jack was given up for adoption. He was adopted by the late Leigh and Mary (Fluker) Spencer. In 1971, Jack found his birth parents because of some health problems and developed a relationship with them and his biological sister.
He graduated from Perry Central School. He was raised by a farming family, when Jack was a senior in high school his father died in an automobile accident. At his young age he stepped up and continued running his father’s farm, which is still in operation today.
He was a member of the United Church of Warsaw, where he was a member of the church choir, and an elder serving on several committees as well as the Presbytery of Genesee Valley; a longtime member and past President of the Warsaw Barbershoppers, where he was a tenor in their quartet; a 50 year member of the Dairylea Cooperative, where he was a youth leader of the Young Cooperators.
A FFA member since high school, where he received the Empire Degree in ’52, NYS Poultry Award recipient, NYS Honorary State Farmer award in 1978. He was a life member of the National FFA, serving as the NYS FFA Alumni President in 1977 thru 1979; a member of the Perry Grange.
Jack was locally known as the “Glad Man” He and his wife raised Gladiolus for many years. He belonged to the WNY Gladiolus Society, Genesee Valley Gladiolus Society, Central New York Gladiolus Society, Empire State Gladiolus Society and the North America Gladiolus Council. He held positions as President of the Empire State Gladiolus Society, Eastern Region Vice President of National Gladiolus Council and Vice President of the North America Gladiolus Council. “Everything Jack did in his life he did with a passion”.
Along with his biological and adopted parents he is predeceased by a Step- father John Kershaw and sister Dorothy Spencer-Ballard.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years: Norma (Chamberlain) Spencer, 4 children: Douglas (Kristine) Spencer and David Spencer both of Perry, Lisa (Robert) Frost Jr. of Sauquoit, NY, and Beth (Neil) Lamb of Hamilton, a biological sister: Janice Parent of Lancaster, 8 grandchildren: Corey Spencer, Robert (Angela) Frost III, Brittany Spencer, Heather Frost, Stephanie Spencer, Casey (Timothy) Richards, John (Andra) Frost and Megan Lamb, 3 great grandchildren: Conner and Emma Frost and John “Jack” Frost II, along with many nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Jack’s Life will be held on Saturday January 23rd at 11:00 A.M. at the United Church of Warsaw 22 South Main St. in Warsaw.
He will be laid to rest in West Perry Cemetery in Perry.
(In lieu of flowers) Memorials may be made to the NY FFA Foundation 9340 Long Pond Rd. Croghan, NY 13327 or visit NYFFAfoundation.org/contributions, Western NY Gladiolus Society (4-H Scholarship fund) C/O John Stenson 2501 St. Rte 238 Warsaw, NY 14569-9566 or to the United Church of Warsaw P.O. 205 Warsaw, NY 14569.