Mitch Spencer

[Justin Turco]

74347435

I just wanted to remember an old friend who loved to sugar. Mitch Spencer. Mitch made the attached label. If you look closely you will see an airplane tail poking out of the barn in this attachment. Airplanes were Mitch's other love. I knew him from the airport and let me tell you...he was quite a guy. When not sugaring, he worked on restoring his Stearman. Which had been a WW-2 trainer for the Tuskeegee Airman. He also owned a T6 which was another really neat aircraft. It said a lot to me about Mitch when one day he showed me a buffalo head nickle that he had polished up. The smile on his face and sparkle in his eye carried me through the rest of the day. On another occasion he showed up with his old ford taurus (the one on which the hood served as his workbench and was therefore completely caved in.) and in the back he had a box of baby lambs. One of them had escaped the box and made quite a mess of the rear seat. Mitch referred to everybody at the airport as "Old Stick". I really liked being called that, and no-one has ever called me "Old Stick" before or since. He was the type of guy who made you feel like you were a good friend. Like you were "in". And in spite of the grease on his hands that you might have noticed on first meeting Mitch, you soon realized that you wanted to be part of the world that he lived in. The last time I saw him he was upstairs in the airport terminal playing his piano. When I came back that night the terminal was quiet and dark except for Mitch and his piano. He was still there. I regret not listening to the prompting of my heart to go up and sit with him for a while. Only a few weeks later Mitch was in Texas to bring home a radial engine (very big and quite heavy) when his loaded truck crashed and he was killed. I just want you to know that there was a man named Mitch Spencer from Pawlet, Vermont who loved to sugar.

When I came across this label it reminded me how I considered him to be a friend and that I still miss him. You surely would have liked him too.

Justin Turco

[Justin Turco]

A little more info. about Mitch. Cut and Paste.


Joint Resolutions Placed on Calendar
Journal of the House
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 1997

At nine o’clock in the forenoon the Speaker called the House to order.

Devotional exercises were conducted by Reverend Wayne Spriggs of Community Alliance Church in Hinesburg.


The Speaker placed before the House the following resolutions which were read and in the Speaker’s discretion, placed on the Calendar for action tomorrow under Rule 52.

J.R.H. 41

Joint resolution in memory of John Mitchell Spencer

Offered by: Representatives Snyder of Pittsford, Klopchin of Clarendon and Waite of Pawlet

Whereas, John Mitchell Spencer, who was know to friends and family alike as "Mitch" was a Rutland native, and

Whereas, he was a U.S. Army veteran , and

Whereas, while he was vocationally the proprietor of Amelia’s Canteen

Restaurant at the Rutland State Airport, he was avocationally a man of diverse talents and interests, and

Whereas, among his many activities were artistry, aviation, farming, old home restoration, photography and teaching, and

Whereas, Mitch was a teacher of gifted children at the Hayes Foundation, and

Whereas, at the time of his sudden death, Mitch was lovingly restoring a World War II PT 17 biplane that had been used to train the Tuskegee Airmen and that was scheduled for display at an upcoming exhibit on African-American airmen that will be held in 1998 at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum, and

Whereas, innumerable persons both in Vermont and elsewhere treasured his friendship and warmly remember his many personal kindnesses, and

Whereas, Mitch inspired countless others with his enthusiasm, quirkiness and most of all the generosity of his spirit, and

Whereas, he was most certainly a true Vermont hero, now therefore be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives:

That the General Assembly notes with sadness the passing of John Mitchell Spencer, and be it further

Resolved: That the Secretary of State be directed to send a copy of this resolution to his sister Dee Dee Erb in Cuttingsville, Vermont.

[Run Forest Run!]

Justin, each one of us can only hope to be remembered with the fondness and regard that your friend Mitch has been. Thanks for telling us a little bit about such a great guy.