Jess W. Spencer Funeral To Be Held at Union
Jess W. Spencer, of Emmett, Ida., but formerly a business man at Union, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Eva Hess [Hessemer], Montesano, Wash., yesterday morning, it was learned here today.
Funeral services for Mr. Spencer will be held at the Methodist church at Union Monday afternoon at 2 o’clock.
Mr. Spencer was the son of pioneer, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Spencer, who came to this valley in the year 1863.
Full details of his obituary were not available today.
La Grande Evening Observer
Saturday November 20, 1937
Page 3
Spencer Rites Held Monday At Union Church
Grange Hall. Nov. 23 – (Special) – A large circle of friends and relatives were present for the funeral service held for W. J. Spencer at the Methodist Episcopal church in Union Monday afternoon. The services were held at 2 o’clock with Rev. Cecil G. Hannan, of the First Methodist Episcopal church of La Grande, officiating. Burial was in the Union cemetery. An unusual feature of the services was that Mr. Spencer’s pall bearers were his six brothers.
William Jesse Spencer, second son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Spencer, Grande Ronde valley pioneers of 1864 and 1865, was born in the Grange Hall district, near La Grande on Sept. 23, 1875, and died of bronchial pneumonia Friday morning, Nov. 19 at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Eva Hessemer of Montesano, Wash.
Married In 1897
Mr. Spencer spent the early part of his life on a farm east of La Grande. His school days were spent in the Liberty and the Island City schools. In 1897 he married Miss Nannie Childers, daughter of valley pioneers and to this union two children were born, Eva and Gerald. After the death of his wife, which occurred in 1904 he move to Union where he was in business for almost a quarter of a century, and a part of this time acting as salesman for a large implement company.
In 1907 he marred Miss Virgie Boles, daughter of another Union county pioneer family, who survives him. Four children, a daughter and three sons, were born to this union.
About ten years ago he, together with his family, moved to extreme Eastern Oregon where he was in the hotel business. A year ago the family moved to Emmett, Ida., his home at the time of his death.
Of very recent years the deceased became the subject of heart trouble. Three weeks ago, by the recommendation of his physician, he joined his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hessemer at Montesano, hoping the lower altitude would benefit his health. But shortly after his arrival there he contracted the illness that was the cause of his death.
Besides his widow he is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Hessemer of Montesano, and Miss Cleo Spencer of Emmett; four sons, Gerald, of Wenatchee, Wash.; Claude, of Seattle, Wash.; Gilbert, of Emmett; Fred, of Fresno, Cal., and two grandchildren, Doris and Robert Hessemer of Montesano. Six brothers – Marion, Charles, Roy, Fred and Bert, all of La Grande and Lawrence of near Summerville survive. All the members of his immediate family, except Fred of Fresno, were present for the funeral.
Mr. Spencer was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, having united with that organization in 1934 while living at Nyssa.
La Grande Evening Observer
Tuesday November 23, 1937
Page 6
Contributed by: Tom Childers