He joined the staff at SWRI in July 1984 and retired in September 2015 after 31 years at the institute.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Cecil Spence and Jeane Ramey Spence, and his sister Donna Jeane Spence.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Myra, daughters Jennifer Hollis and husband Fred of Boerne, Texas, and Stephanie Adams and husband Doug of The Woodlands, Texas, and seven grandchildren Dean, Rachel, and Delilah Hollis and Kyle, Jeremy, Madelynn and Blake Adams.
