Obituary of Lyle LaVern Spencer

Lyle "Pete" LaVern Spencer of Fairgrove, age 81, passed away Thursday, July 4, 2013, at Tuscola County Medical Care Facility. The funeral service will take place 11:00 am, Monday, July 8, 2013, at the Martin Funeral Home in Fairgrove. Reverend Daniel Gonder will officiate with burial to follow in Gilford Cemetery. Family will receive friends at the funeral home on Sunday, July 7, 2013, from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Memorial contributions may be directed to the Fairgrove Fire Department and Fairgrove United Methodist Church. Envelopes are available at the funeral home. Lyle was born January 22, 1932, in Gilford, Michigan, son of the late Edwin (Ted) and Mabel (Gulliver) Spencer. He attended Fairgrove High School and graduated class of 1951. He married his high school sweetheart Betty Jane Dinsmore at the Gilford Church on September 22, 1951. Sadly she preceded him in death on November 9, 2007. Lyle was a life long farmer, he also sawed lumber for many years as did his dad Ted. He also worked for the Defoe Shipyard and Tuscola County Road Commission. When not busy with work Lyle enjoyed going to Big Boy for breakfast, flea markets, tractor shows, gardening, deer hunting, working in the woods and tinkering on what ever he felt needed worked on. Left to cherish his memory are his daughter, Sandra Nizzola and husband, Ed; son, Larry Spencer and wife, Diane; grandchildren, Eddie Nizzola and wife, Marideth, Mandy McIvor and husband, Randy, Melanie Nizzola, Sarah Spencer, Katie Spencer, Emily Spencer; great grandchildren, Eddie Nizzola, Aubrey Nizzola; grand dogs, Coco and JR; three sister-in laws Dorothy Spencer Granger , Shirley Stoddard and Norma Rickwalt. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife Betty; brothers, Harold, Bernard and Edwin Jr.; sisters, Dorothy, Alice, Crystal, Ermma and Marion. His pallbears will be his six loving grandchildren. Friends may share a memory with the family at the funeral home, or online at www.martinfuneralhome.com.