Darrell Gene Spencer, 86, of Hepburnia died Wednesday March 12, 2014 at his residence after a lengthy illness. Born Dec. 17, 1927, he was the son of Donald M. Sr. and Lula M. (Swartzlander) Spencer.
In 1954, Mr. Spencer, along with his father and brothers, Robert and Ray, formed Hepburnia Coal Co. He was president from 1973 until the present and since 2012 had been the sole owner.
From 1945-1946, he was employed by the Spencer Coal Co. of Grampian. He served with the U.S. Army in Japan from 1946-1947. He returned to Spencer Coal Co. as a shovel operator from 1947-1954. Then, he started and operated Hepburnia Coal Co. from 1954 until the present.
In 1977, along with his wife Dalney, they owned and incorporated Clearfield Lincoln-Mercury until it was sold in, 1993. The three brothers also created Spencer Land Co. which owns several thousand acres of land and mineral rights, including more than 60 gas wells. He has been the sole owner since 2012.
He operated the Susquehanna Recreation Corp., the owner of the former Grandview Golf Club, which was created from reclaimed mined land. He, along with his brothers, also owned and operated the former Beechwood Flying Service out of the DuBois-Jefferson Airport.
After Clearfield Lincoln-Mercury, he and his wife started Dal-Mar Inc., which is the predecessor to Battery Warehouse in Clearfield. Among his other endeavors was Seven Seas Financial Corp., which owned and operated the former Sheraton Inn in DuBois and Thermo-Sential Corp., which was a worldwide distributor of stainless steel cookware. He also owned Darrell G. Spencer Trucking; he had previously owned the former Mouse House, which is now Sid’s Subs in Clearfield.
He was a 60-year member of the Penn Grange of Grampian. He joined the Grampian Lions club in 1962. He was involved with them as president and vice president and served many years on its board of directors.
Mr. Spencer had perfect attendance for 49 years. He became a member of Lions International and received the Lions of Pennsylvania Fellows program and the Melvin Jones awards. Within his Lions district, he had served as zone chairman and region chairman.
He was also District 14J Governor during 1973-74. He was also chairman of the constitution and by-laws committee, cabinet secretary and chairman of the state convention from 1977-1979 and again from 1990-1991.
In 1962, he became a 32nd degree member of the Noble Lodge No. 480 Free & Accepted Masons, Curwensville, and had been a member of the Jaffa Shrine since 1963.
He was a Curwensville school board member for 13 years and served as a bank director for the former Curwensville State Bank and Penn Laurel Corp. He was a graduate of Clearfield Area High School and a 1945 graduate of the Vocational Technical School as an apprentice carpenter.
He had attended and been a member of the Hepburnia United Methodist Church since 1927 and the chairman of the board of trustees. He enjoyed being with his family and his hobbies included antique cars and traveling.
On June 21, 1947 in Grampian, he wed the former Dalney M. Farwell, who preceded him in death on Feb. 21, 2003. He was also preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Ethel Danvir; and five brothers, Robert G., Ray “Buck”, Keith, Donald Jr. and Edward Allen Spencer.
Surviving are a daughter Sheree McCall and her husband, James of Grampian; four grandchildren, Melissa Bloom, Mark Collins, Penni Muth and her husband, Jeffrey and Spencer Collins and his wife, Brandi; five great-grandsons and two great-granddaughters, Nick London, Austin Bloom, Tyler Muth, Devin Muth, Shae Linn Muth, Dakota McCracken, and Jaid Collins.
Also surviving are a sister and two brothers, Lois “Peachy” Straw and her husband, James of Lancaster, Gary Moore Spencer and his wife, Sheila of Hepburnia and Richard L. Spencer of Pittsburgh.
Services for Mr. Spencer will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Hepburnia United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Wade R. Berkey officiating. Burial will be in the Friends Cemetery, Grampian.
Friends will be received from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. and from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. Friday at the Chester C. Chidboy Funeral Home Inc. of Curwensville and again from 9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Saturday when the procession will depart for the church.
The Curwensville Noble Lodge No. 480 F.&A.M. will conduct a masonic memorial services at 6:40 p.m. Friday, which will be followed by the Grampian Lions Club memorial service.
The family suggests memorial contributions be made to the Hepburnia United Methodist Church, the Grampian Lions Club or Curwensville Noble Lodge No. 480 F.&A.M.
Online condolences may be made to the family at www.chidboyfuneralhome.com.
The Chester C. Chidboy Funeral Home Inc. of Curwensville is in charge of the arrangements.