Ronald Gene Spence

Ron was born on April 6, 1936, in Emmett, Idaho, to Floyd Spence and Dorothy Rynearson. He was the oldest of five children.

After graduating from Emmett High School, Ron served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the East Berlin Mission, Germany. His time there sparked a lifelong love for the German people and culture. Following his mission, he attended Brigham Young University, where he earned his degree in Secondary Education.

Ron began his teaching career at West Covina High School in California. During the summer of 1962, he returned to BYU for graduate studies, where he met Rosa Mina Suess, a fellow German teacher. They performed together in a play, began dating, and were soon engaged. For an unknown reason, Ron called it off before realizing what his heart already knew. They married three years later on June 29, 1965, in the Salt Lake City Temple. Together, they raised three children: Michael Herman (Marielena), Jennifer Spence-Carpenter, and Kathryn (James) Cecil.

Ron dedicated more than 35 years to teaching, most of them at Edgewood High School in West Covina, California. He was deeply committed to his students and loved opening their eyes to the world beyond their classrooms. He founded and directed a German exchange program that sent students to Germany every other year and welcomed German students to California in the alternating years. Many former students credit “Herr Spence” with changing their lives.

Ron’s talents extended far beyond teaching. He had a beautiful singing voice and a creative spirit. He loved to experiment with recipes and took on projects like latch hook and helped Rosa with the fine details of her craft projects. Ever the family historian, Ron captured countless moments at family gatherings, dinner tables, and during travel adventures. He would jokingly say he needed the wide-angle lens when it was time for family photos, he delighted in preserving memories both big and small.

He was also the family’s devoted shopper and chauffeur, faithfully taking his mother-in-law to the grocery store every Thursday—always with his precious coupons in hand. Employees at Longs Drugs, his favorite stop next to the grocery store, knew him by name, and he developed countless rolls of film there over the years.

Ron retired in 1996 and embraced his favorite role as Opa, spending time with his grandchildren and traveling with Rosa. In 2006, he suffered a stroke that led to vascular dementia, slowly taking away his memories. Yet even in the years that followed, his gentle nature, sense of humor, and love for music and family still shone through. For at least forty years, when asked his age, Ron would say he was “110.” While he didn’t quite make it there, his life was long, rich, and deeply loved.

Ron was a faithful and diligent member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with a firm testimony of Jesus Christ. He served in numerous callings throughout his life, including bishopric counselor and member of the stake high council. His life was defined by service, faith, and quiet acts of kindness.

Ron is survived by his wife Rosa, daughters Jennifer and Kathryn, eight grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and another expected soon — that he foresaw. He is preceded in death by his parents, his brother Ed, and his son Michael Herman Spence.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at the Woodside Ward Chapel, located at 1307 South Orange Avenue, West Covina, CA. Interment will take place before the service at Rose Hills Cemetery.

The memorial service ill be available via Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/96395875297?pwd=v1Hivwaszr1KmjoRlWseKmPnYsus1q.1

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Humanitarian Fund in Ron’s memory.