- Date Of Birth: December 27, 1942
- Date Of Death: June 28, 2021
- State: Colorado
Michael Sherman Spencer of Canon City, Colo., left this world June 28, 2021, following a lengthy disability. He was born December 27, 1942, to Charles and Mary Ethel (Booth) Spencer in Southgate, Calif. He graduated from Porterville High School (Calif.) in the class of ’61 and served in the United States Navy aboard the USS Midway during the Vietnam War, 1963 – l965.
After his tour of duty he worked as a stunt man and extra for the Screen Extras/Screen Actors Guild, appearing in several Western movies and series. He married Carolyn Gilbert (deceased) in 1966 and graduated from the Porterville Horseshoeing School in 1967. As a member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, he competed in bareback riding, bull riding, and team roping, but turned to bullfighting as his chosen field, working professional rodeos across the country including the LA Forum; Ellensburg, Wash.; Red Lodge, Mont.
In l973 Mike married Davalynn Chamberlain from Porterville, Calif. He graduated from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley with a bachelor’s degree in education in 1974 and taught elementary school nine years in Northern Colorado.
From 1983 to 1989, he served as a chaplain with Racetrack Chaplaincy of America at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., and also at Louisiana Downs in Shreveport, La. and AK-SAR-BEN Racetrack in Omaha, Neb. In 1989, he moved to Florence, Colo., where he became President and General Manager of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Cowboy Chapter through 1994. His greatest enjoyment in that capacity was overseeing FCC Rodeo Bible Camps for youth.
In addition to his tenure as a stunt man, horseshoer, educator, bullfighter, and preacher, Mike was an officer for the Florence Police Department in Colorado and later worked as a private investigator in California and Colorado.
He is survived by his wife, Davalynn Spencer; sons Chad (Yvette) and Jake (Courtney); daughter Amanda (Donnie) Beck; grandchildren Brea, Brayden, Madison, Hadley, Deagan and Slade; aunts Ida (Cliff) Fitton and Rosie (DeWayne) Luce; sisters Luann (Melvin) Welker and Susan (Peter) Carganilla; brother Colin (Rachel); and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Randy.
