Samuel Haig Spencer

Lakeland - Samuel Hague Spencer passed away Tues, Oct 3, 2016, after a brief illness. He was 98. Sam was born November 10, 1917, to Melville and Amanda Trent Spencer in Lee County, Virginia, the eighth of eleven children, all of whom predeceased him. He graduated from Lincoln Memorial University in 1940 and later served on the Board of Trustees. He was awarded an honorary doctorate of humanities and was named to the Professional Hall of Fame. Sam briefly taught school before enlisting in the US Army Air Corp in WWII and was a gunnery instructor for bomber crews on B-24s and B-17s. In 1945, he married Mary Frances Miller. Sam moved to Lakeland in 1948 and was employed with Dominion Foods and Meade Containers before becoming a private produce broker in 1972. He married Mary Louise Evans Middents on November 29, 1969. Sam was a member and usher at First United Methodist Church in Lakeland for more than 50 years. Sam also served on the board of the YMCA for more than 20 years and volunteered at Lakeland Regional Medical center where he drove the tram and played Santa Claus. He volunteered with SCORE and organized the United Cerebral Palsy group in Lakeland. Sam was also a Shriner and a member of the Masons for 75 years. Sam is survived by his wife, Mary Lou Spencer; daughter Mara Spencer and husband Edward Hogan of Clifton, VA; stepson Jonathan Middents and wife Victoria of Pearland, TX; grandson Joel Middents and wife Lydia; granddaughter Erin Leitko and husband Cade; and three great- grandchildren, all of Friendswood, TX. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM Thursday, October 6, 2016, at First United Methodist Church in Lakeland. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to: Sam and Mary Lou Spencer Endowed Scholarship Lincoln Memorial University Attn: Cynthia Whitt 6965 Cumberland Gap Parkway Harrogate, TN 37752 Service: 10/06/2016 First United Methodist Church 72 Lake Morton Drive, Lakeland, FL 33801