header 1
header 2
header 3

In Memory Of Our Poets

James Owen Spencer, Jr. (1937-2012) - Class Of 1955

Memorial service for Mr. James "Jim" Owen Spencer, Jr., 75, of Birmingham and Alexander City, will be Wednesday, January, 2, 2013 at 2:00 pm St. James Episcopal Church with visitation following the service. Father Rob Iler will officiate.

Mr. Spencer passed away on Sunday, December 30, 2012 at his residence. He was born on June 22, 1937 in Demopolis, Alabama to James Owen Spencer, Sr. and Trudie Livingston Spencer.

Mr. Spencer was a 1955 graduate of Sidney Lanier High School in Montgomery. He graduated from the University of Alabama in 1959, where he was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity. 

After serving in the Navy as the Operations Officer of the USS Interpreter, Mr. Spencer completed Law School in 1965 . He practiced law in Birmingham for 35 years with the Balch and Bingham Law Firm. Mr. Spencer was a member of the American, Alabama, and Birmingham Bar Associations. Upon retirement he moved to Lake Martin, AL where he continued to serve as an Arbitrator/Mediator for the American Arbitration Association.

  • Mr. Spencer was active in the civic communities of Birmingham and Alexander City where he
  • served as President of the Young Lawyers Association of the Birmingham Bar,
  • President of the Birmingham Ski Club,
  • served on the Board of Directors of the Ronald McDonald House Foundation,
  • President of the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Alabama, and
  • a long time member of the Circus Historical Society and
  • the Circus Model Builders Association.
  • He loved the circus and even built a model three ring circus in his home.
  • In Alexander City he served as
  • President of the Alexander City Arts, Inc.,
  • President of the Tallapoosa County Master Gardeners Association, and
  • volunteered at the Russell Medical Center.

Mr. Spencer was an active member of the St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Birmingham where he served on the Vestry and the St. James Episcopal Church in Alexander City where he served on the Vestry and Senior Warden.

Jim greatly loved traveling, reading, being at the lake, snow skiing, listening to country and classical music, and was an avid Alabama football fan. He was also a very patriotic man and loved listening to marching tunes.

He is survived by

  • his loving wife of 54 years, Gayle Cardwell Spencer of Alexander City;
  • daughter, Elizabeth Spencer Avery (David) of Auburn;
  • sons, James "Jimbo" Owen Spencer, III of Alexander City and
  • Henry "Hank" Cardwell Spencer (Ruth) of Birmingham;
  • grandchildren, Chambers Avery,
  • Spencer Avery, and
  • Elizabeth Ann Avery all of Auburn and
  • Cardwell Spencer and
  • Beatrice Spencer both of Birmingham;
  • brother, Robert L. Spencer (Brenda) of Franklin, TN;
  • and several nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be given to St. James Episcopal Church, 347 South Central Ave, Alexander City, AL 35010 or CaringBridge: Donation Processing Center, PO Box 6032, Albert Lea, MN 56007-6632, www.caringbridge.org.

The family would like to thank the caregivers from SouthernCare, especially Jamie and Rita, for their loving care.

Memorial messages may be sent to the family at www.radneyfuneralhome.com.

Radney Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Radney Funeral Home
Alexander City
Alabama 35011
256-234-2511

Published in the Montgomery Advertiser on January 1, 2013