Jimmie Leon Spencer

Jimmie Leon Spencer, 90, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma resident died April 26, 2013 at the Timberwood Assisted Living Center in Midwest City, Oklahoma. Jimmie was born August 20, 1922 in Seminole, County to Billy and Willie Mae (Johnson) Spencer. Jimmie grew up in Seminole county and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II aboard the U.S.S. San Francisco in the battle at Guadalcanal where he was severely wounded when Japanese planes attacked the San Francisco.  After he recovered enough he was transferred to the U.S.S. Spica, a transport ship that took supplies to the Bering Sea. After the service he found work with the Santa Fe railroad and Van’s Bakery, and then was called to Tinker Air Force Base. His job there was calibrating plane instruments and he received several awards for finding defects and cash awards for instrument improvements. He retired from Tinker Air Force Base in 1976. Prior to his Military service he served as youth training group director for Young Native American Indians and also served in the Civilian Conservation Corp in Guthrie, Oklahoma. He was also a life member of the Veterans of Foreign War, Midwest City, Oklahoma post # 7192, where he served on funeral details and was a past commander. Jimmie is survived by his wife Lillyn of Midwest City, Oklahoma; two sons Bill Spencer and his wife Mary of Owasso, Oklahoma and Robert Smith and his wife Judy of Choctaw, Oklahoma; four daughters Linda Spencer of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Dona Cantebury and her husband Ed of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Sue Krauss and her husband Jeff of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and Sherry Maynor of Midwest City, Oklahoma; one brother John Smith and his wife Barbara of Seminole, Oklahoma and one sister-in-law Bessie Spencer, a special Niece Glennie Snodgrass, twelve grandchildren and twenty-two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers James, Alford and Benny and a sister Daisy Sandfur. Funeral services will be held 1:00 P.M., Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at the Swearingen Funeral Home in Seminole, Oklahoma with burial following at Little Cemetery. Mark Balthrop and Jeff Krauss will officiate at the service. Casket bearers will be Brandon Smith, Bradley Smith, Joe Warren, Corky Snodgrass, Colter Snodgrass and Stacie Harjo. The family would like to thank the staff of Timberwood Assisted Living and Tosha, Chelsie and Chaplain’s Mark and Martin of Crossroads hospice, and James McFadden, who is a Sunbeam volunteer. Memorial donations may be made in lieu of flowers to Crossroads Hospice. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Swearingen Funeral Home in Seminole, Oklahoma. Funeral Information: May 1, 2013, 1:00 PM Swearingen Funeral Home Chapel located at 1001 N. Milt Phillips Ave., Seminole, OK 74868