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Arther G. Spencer Jordan ON, Canada QCWA # 9283 Chapter 73 |
ARTHUR George Spencer, P. Eng, VE3AGS - Father, husband, friend, businessman, radio ham and World War II veteran. On Tuesday December 21, 2010 George, as he was known to friends and family, died quietly in his sleep. As one of the first 1,000 Canadians to go to England during the Second World War, George had a distinguished career serving the Allied Forces in RADAR.
Born in Innisfail Alberta, 1920, the first of two children to Carrie and Edward Spencer, George grew up in St. Catharines. Always a keen learner, George was interested in electricity, radio and science at a young age. George enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force where he applied his knowledge to the defence of Britain from air attack. George returned as a commissioned officer and pursued an Electrical Engineering degree at the newly opened Ajax campus of the University of Toronto. After the completion of his degree George pursued a long career in pulp and paper as well as consulting to the mining and petrochemical industries. In Winnipeg, George was named president of Teshmont and went on to open Spencer Engineering. The Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy honoured him as distinguished lecturer. All the while he remained active in organizations like the Niagara Peninsula Amateur Radio Club under the call letters VE3AGS and was a Director of the American Radio Relay League. George was so passionate about ham radio that he was known to climb the radio tower at his house well into his 70's.
George is predeceased by his brother Bill and survived by his wife Jean and daughters Jayne, Debbie and Margo. George is also survived by his loving grandchildren John, Michael, Caroline, David, Eric and his great- grandchildren Leila, Mila and Lucy. A church service will be held at the Unitarian Congregation of Niagara, 223 Church Street St. Catharines, on Wednesday December 29, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. Friends and family from the community are invited to attend.