Spence came to Princeton from St. Louis Country Day School. His Princeton education was interrupted by service as an Army ordnance technician in the South Pacific during World War II. After the war he returned to Princeton, was president of Campus Club, majored in mechanical engineering, and graduated magna cum laude in 1947. He graduated from Harvard Business School in 1949.

In 1950 he married Millie Scheer, whose letters and chocolate cake had kept his spirits up during the war, and they were happily married for 64 years.

As an engineer Spence worked for Mississippi River Fuel Corp. to expand natural gas service in St. Louis. While working and helping raise three young children, he became a CPA and a partner in Huber, Ring and Wolling. He went on to become vice president of finance for L.E. Sauer Machine Co., where he worked until retirement.

Spence was an avid golfer, shooting a hole-in-one three times. He is immortalized at Westborough Country Club for the many years in which he shot a golf score lower than his age. He also served as deacon, trustee, and elder at the First Presbyterian Church in Kirkwood.

Spence died Nov. 1, 2020. He was predeceased by his wife, Mildred, and his son, Mark. He is survived by daughters Barbara and Susan ’80.