Born February 7, 1954
Passed October 5, 2021
This picture is a little water damaged…, but I believe it is the one he would want
posted…, sitting on the old Skagit with a perfectly spooling mainline drum.
Well…, the pain, misery and medical problems that plagued him these last few years are at a merciful end for my Brother and Best Friend Larry. He passed away peacefully after his boys, Keith, A.J., Bert and their significant others, Chelsea Spence and Rebecca Brackett helped make that transition as meaningful and pain free as possible at his longtime home in Weippe, ID.
Larry was born to That Good Lookin’ Al and Wanda Spence and lived in Weippe his entire life, He went to school there and eventually graduated from the consolidated Weippe-Pierce High School of Timberline in 1972.
Mom - Wanda..., Dad- Good Lookin' Al
He then went to work for Bill Maki of Maki Manufacturing, Inc. for several years. He always considered that experience as one of the most fruitful and fulfilling of his life and considered Bill his lifelong mentor. I was fortunate enough to witness, on many occasions, those skills as Larry and I worked for Carney Pole for a few years and then bought an old Skagit SJ4 RT swing yarder and became contract loggers for about eight years. There is no doubt that Larry’s mechanical abilities learned under Bill’s watchful eye were a major contribution to the success of both ventures…, and the most meaningful of the last visitors Larry had was Bill Maki.
About the only thing that Larry liked better than mechanicing on heavy equipment and being a machinist…, was operating a yarder, cable loader, cat or grader..., and by unanimous conscientious..., he excelled in all of the above. He continued to operate the equipment acquired by Spence Brothers Logging and bought me out after I moved to Forks, WA in 1987. He went on to acquire even more logging equipment under his business Idaho Crane and Machine. More than he could fit into his world class dream shop that he finally got built on his Weippe property.
Plenty of Work Ahead
In later years he hired on for the Weippe chapter of the Clearwater County Road Department and was well known and highly praised county wide as the best grader operator ever…, whether it was shaping up and maintaining gravel roads or keeping them and many driveways clear of snow in the winter time. The shop I mentioned now houses lathes, drill presses, milling machines, compressors, cutting torches, welders and tools that I have no idea how to operate, That “shed” as he referred to it was one bright spot over the last few years…, but not the brightest.
The brightest would be the birth of his grandson Reid in 2019 and his granddaughter Hailey Kay in 2021.
Larry married twice, neither of which lasted, but the first marriage produced Keith Spence of Lewiston and A.J. Spence (Rebecca Brackett) of Lewiston. The second marriage produced Bert Spence (Chelsea) of Orofino. He also adopted Brianne Page (Christopher) and Stacy Wright (Glen) of Orofino and has five adopted grandchildren via them…, Evan, Megan, and Taran and Phoenix and Aevlyn, respectively. His parents proceeded him in passing but he is survived by the aforementioned children and grandchildren as well as his brother Scott R of Forks, WA, and many cousins and friends scattered throughout the Pacific Northwest.
At his request he will be cremated and no services are planned. The family asks that he only be remembered for his kindness, consideration and generosity to everyone who knew him.
RIP Brother Larry.
"Lay down my brother
Take it easy, take it slow
Lay down my brother
Rest a while, let it go
It's a long hard road in the wind and the rain
But you finally made it through
Odds are you'll be goin' again
But the odds won't be ridin' with you
You've been workin' every minute, every hour, every day
Still the work is never done
The life you love is passin' away
But you feel you've only begun"
