Rodney Rossman Spencer

Rodney Rossman Spencer, 71, of West Sunbury passed away Sunday at Butler Memorial Hospital, after a long fight with cancer.

He was born Dec. 27, 1944, in Slippery Rock Township, to Crosby Hiram Spencer and Edna Mary Mc Bride Spencer. In 1963, he graduated from Slippery Rock High School and married Helen Elizabeth Redmond on Dec. 14, 1963. He was a member of the Forestville United Methodist Church

Rodney was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, serving in Vietnam. He was honorably discharged in 1967.

Rodney retired in 2002 after 34 years as an ironworker for ARMCO — AK Steel, where he worked in the Steel Fabrication and Rigger Shop. He was a baseball coach during the 1970s for West Sunbury Little League.

He spent his retirement as a square dance caller and taught square dancing for 24 years. He was a lifetime hunter enjoying this activity with son, grandsons and beagles. He loved NASCAR and being outside hunting with his yellow lab “Molly.”

Rodney was a member of the Bantam Marine Corps League and the Square and Round Dance Caller Association of Pennsylvania.

He is survived at home by his loving wife, Helen, who never left his side during his battle with cancer; his daughter, Belinda S. Spencer Ralston; his son, Mark D. and his wife, Linda Spencer, all of West Sunbury; his sister, Burdene “Dene” and her husband, Samuel Rea, of Slippery Rock; five grandsons, Mitchell Curry and his wife, Chastity, of Harrisville and Mason Spencer, Justin Curry, Christopher Ralston and Lucas Ralston, all of West Sunbury; two great-grandsons, Myeles Spencer and Canyon Curry; and a number of nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents, several aunts and uncles.

SPENCER — The family of Rodney Rossman Spencer, who died Sunday July 31, 2016, will receive friends from 2 p.m. until the time of service at 8 p.m. Thursday at the Smith Funeral Home, 421 New Castle St., Slippery Rock.Funeral services will be at 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home with the Rev. Jean Smith of the Forestville United Methodist Church presiding. Interment will be at the Cemetery of the Alleghenys.Memorial contributions may be given to Forestville United Methodist Church, 124 Boyers Road, Forestville, PA 16035 or the American Cancer Society.