Richard Spencer

Richard Spencer, age 62, resident of Brainerd, died Monday, August 22rd in the evening at the University Of Minnesota Fairview Hospital in Minneapolis. Funeral services will be Saturday, 11:00am, Merrifield Community Church of the Nazarene with Reverend Larry Harshman officiating. Visitation will be on Friday from 5 ? 7 pm at the Brenny Funeral Chapel in Baxter and one hour before the service at the church. Military honors will be provided by Brainerd American Legion Post # 255. Burial will be in Wildwood Cemetery in Pillager.
Richard was born on August 7, 1943, in Duluth, son of Donald and Florence (Johnson) Spencer. When he was very young he and his mother moved to the Brainerd area. Richard joined the United States Navy serving from 1961 to 1967. Following his discharge he was united in marriage to Hazel Harris on June 26, 1965 at the Merrifield Community Church of the Nazarene. He was employed by various companies in the Brainerd area. In 1976 he was called to the ministry, attending and graduating from the Nazarene Bible College in Colorado Springs, CO. He pastored at Merrifield Community Church of the Nazarene from the summer of 1983 through summer of 1987. Also, at Moorhead, North St. Paul, and Little Falls. They returned to the Brainerd area in 1992. He also worked with the Electric Pump Company of Des Moines, IA. He enjoyed spending time with his family and grandchildren, hunting and fishing. Most important to him was sharing his faith.

Richard will be missed by his wife, Hazel; three sons, Steve (Jennifer) of Nashville, TN, Richard (Sara) of Burlingame, KS, Dave (Jean), of Big Springs, NE; daughter, Stephanie (Merlin) James of Olathe, KS; two sisters, LaVonne Billman, of Brainerd, Linda Trowbridge of Merrifield; brother, Tony Berndt of Pillager; eight grandchildren, Zach, Mikenna, Bethany, William, Josiah, Spencer, Kristen and Kaylee. His parents and 2 brothers Calvin and Tom preceded him in death.