Harold L. Spencer

Harold Lee Spencer, age 89, of Carroll, Iowa and formerly of Scranton, Iowa passed away on September 11, 2009 at St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, September 15, 2009 at the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll with Rev. Dr. Michael Fitzsimmons officiating. Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 6 to 8PM Monday with a prayer service at 7PM Burial will be in the Scranton Township Cemetery with Military Honors by the Scranton American Legion. Casket bearers will be Phillip DiGiannantonio,, Ian VanSchooten, Lenus Schulte, Paul Spencer, David VanSchooten, and Denton Wenger. Born on December 22, 1920, at Highland Township, Churdan, Iowa on the family farm settled in 1893 by his grandparents, he was the son of W.O. and Ella Rogers Stotts. Harold grew up following in the footsteps of his grandfather and father who spent their lives as farmers. Harold attended the country school near the family farm through the eighth grade. He then attended and graduated from Churdan High School in 1938. As most farm boys did after graduating from school, Harold farmed with his father until he enlisted in the Army Air Force during World War II. While in the service, part of his time was spent at Rockhurst College in Kansas City, Missouri. After his service, he returned home to farm with his father. Harold was married on June 1, 1953 to his wife, Wilmajean Bland Spencer of Burlington, North Carolina. To this union four children were born. In 1957 they and their children moved to their farm in Kendrick Township, Scranton, Iowa, . As a large pork producer and member of the Farmers Union, Harold along with the Farmers Union state president and Iowa Senator Dick Clark, appeared and gave testimony in 1973 regarding the future of hog producers at Federal Agricultural Senate Subcommittee hearings in Washington, DC. Also during the 1970’s Harold visited several European countries that produced and marketed hogs.During the visit of Russian president Krucheve to Carroll County 50 years ago the Russian dignataries toured the Spencer farm to ovserve their hog raising operation. Other travels included trips to South America and Mexico. Like his forefathers before him, Harold had a great love for the land and was a believer in good stewardship of God’s creation. Harold was baptized into the Methodist church, but after moving to the Scranton area, he attended the Scranton Church of Christ. His life was spent following in the Christian belief, and he strived to live each day with honor and integrity in all he did. Harold is survived by his wife of 56 years, Wilmajean; two daughters, Nancy DiGiannantonio and husband Phillip of Harleysville, Pennsylvania, and Rosemary VanSchooten and husband David of Winston-Salem, North Carolina; a son Paul Spencer and wife Vicki of Montgomery, Alabama; a brother-in-law James W. Bland and wife Edith of Melbourne, Florida; and seven grandchildren: Mark and Brad DiGiannantonio, Ian and Andrew VanSchooten, and Jaimie Spencer, Abbie Spencer Wallace and Anna Spencer. Harold was preceded in death by his parents and his eldest daughter Jenise Ann Spencer.