Lyle Spencer

The Mass of Christian Burial for Lyle Spencer of Wadena will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, March 17, 2014, at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Wadena, with Father Aaron Kuhn as celebrant. Friends may call on Sunday, at the Johnson-Schuller Chapel in Wadena from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., with Parish Prayers at 6:00p.m. Visitation will resume on Monday, at the church from 9:30 a.m. until the time of Mass. Surrounded by his family, Lyle passed away at the age of 72, on Tuesday, March 11, 2014, at his home in rural Wadena, MN. Lyle was born to Stuart and Jennie (Randall) Spencer on October 7, 1941 at their home in Huntersville, MN. Lyle was united in marriage with Dianna Mae Henrich on October 26, 1963 at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Wadena. Along with raising their children, Lyle and Dianna cared for many foster children who needed a place to feel loved. He was an independent truck driver for a time and drove semi for Cenex. Lyle will also be remembered as a heavy equipment operator, and in his last few years, a foreman of the Wadena County Highway department until his retirement in 1989. He loved to plow snow and drive a road grader! His spare time was used in woodworking, camping, hunting and fishing. He played amateur baseball for teams in Nimrod, Bluffton and Wadena. Lyle was an avid Minnesota Twins baseball and Vikings football fan. Lyle was preceded in death by his parents Stuart and Jennie; sisters Bonnie Currie and Donna Roiko; and niece Colleen Hegg. He is survived by his devoted wife Dianna; children Sherry (Lance) Linnes of Texas, Jenifer (Jay) Hotakainen of Wadena, Cara Ruwersma of Fargo, ND, and Russ Columbus of Minneapolis; grandchildren Lee, Emma, Chani (Brian), Lucas (Alisha), Jordan, Aaron, Evan, Ashton and Ares; great-grandchildren Kaelyn, Raeleigh, Paisley and Lucas Jr.; brothers Lynn (Carol) Spencer of Wadena, Dave (Gwyn) Spencer of Nashville, TN, and Larry (Mary) Spencer of Zimmerman; sisters Ann (Paul) Strong of Apple Valley and Ruth Sanders of Hopkins; and numerous nieces and nephews. Honorary pallbearers will be his fellow coworkers at the Wadena County Highway Department, and all Wadena County foster children from 1967 to 1997. Pallbearers will be Terry Strong, Tom Nelson, Keith Waln, Gregg Spencer, Kyle Horsman and Doug Spencer. Burial will be in the Wadena Cemetery.

Lyle Spencer

October 7, 1941 - March 11, 2014