Emily Frances (Vanderstucken) Spencer lost her courageous battle against lung cancer on Aug. 16, 2023, at the age of 82.
Born in 1940 to Frances (Robinson) of New York City and Emile Felix Vanderstucken of Sutton County, Texas. She grew up in Princeton, New Jersey, and spent her summers with family in Sonora, Texas. Emily graduated from Miss Fine’s School (Now Princeton Day School) in 1958 and subsequently graduated from Wheelock College, becoming a first grade teacher.
In 1965 she met Richard “Dick” Spencer (d 2003), and they were married in 1966. Emily and Dick spent several years chartering ski trips to Switzerland and France before settling down and starting a small family in Chester, New Hampshire, where they lived for 30-plus years and made many lifelong friends. Summers were spent at Kennebunk Beach, until 1998 when they moved to Kennebunk permanently.
Emily loved watching Red Sox games, taking train trips, watching Jeopardy (what is “she always had the answers?”), marathon cribbage games with her husband Dick and hosting their annual summer lobster bakes at the beach. She had a great sense of style when it came to designing the home they built together where she enjoyed playing the piano and flower gardening. Emily was a voracious reader and took great joy in mother daughter dates to Red Sox games and musicals at the Ogunquit Playhouse. Her life was filled with love by serving God in the Episcopal faith and generosity to many charities.
Surviving are her loving and devoted daughter Polly, sister-in-law Hillary, nieces Kristen, Kim and Linda, nephews Wyatt and Trip, great nephews Ivan and Sasha, great niece Olivia, a great-great nephew and two great-great nieces, two grand bunnies and four grand dogs who will miss her treats and loving pats whenever they came to visit.
Memorial services will be 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 26 at Trinity Episcopal Chapel (4 Woodland Ave., Kennebunk). In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to a charity that promotes literacy or supports lung cancer research.
To share a memory or leave a message of condolence please visit Emily’s Book of Memories Page at www.bibberfuneral.com.
Arrangements are in the care of Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer St., Kennebunk, ME 04043.
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