John Kenneth Spenceley

John passed away on the late evening of July 28th 2017 at home, after a fierce battle with cancer. He was born in Saint David hospital in Cardiff South Wales U.K. on the morning of August 23rd, 1949, just as the church bells across the street chimed seven-o-clock. He is survived by the love of his life, his wife Terri of Woodbridge, Virginia; his parents Edwin & Eileen Spenceley of Charlottesville; his uncle Allan Gasson and his wife Pamela of Ystrad Mynach South Wales U.K.; several cousins in South Wales and his childhood friends whom he always referred to as his cousins Carol & Paul Hanbury of Cymbach, South Wales. He is also survived by his brother-in-law Michael Hancock of Woodbridge, Virginia and his sister-in-law Debbie Ankrom and her partner Albert Hummel of Alexandria, Virginia. He is also survived by the Suddarth family, Larry and Nora and their 3 children. John also leaves behind his “adopted” family - Sam and Maggie Short and Brooke and Justin of Charlottesville. He was predeceased by both sets of grandparents. At the age of seven years he emigrated to Charlottesville where he was a graduate of Rock Hill Academy and the School of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine at the University of Virginia. John was recruited to work at Potomac Hospital in Woodbridge, Virginia before he graduated. He stayed at Potomac for 11 years where he was part of the original staff of the new hospital. He decided to transfer to Mount Vernon Hospital in Alexandria and work there for 28 years. After several years Mount Vernon decided to try a new program by having a full time radiology staff on duty at night rather than having them on call. John volunteered to help staff it and loved the night time work. While working at Potomac Hospital John volunteered at O.W.L. (Occoquan, Woodbridge, Lorton) Fire Dept. as a cardiac technician and was trained as a fire fighter. It was in this capacity he first met his wife who worked as volunteer rescue worker and firefighter for Dale City Volunteer Fire Department. They were officially introduced at a friend’s going away party. It was not until then that they realized they lived in the same apartment complex and very close to one another and as the saying goes the rest is history. John was a huge Welsh Rugby fan and was known to fly out of Dulles airport on a Thursday night to arrive in London on Friday morning then travel to Wales by train and spend the time with Carol and Paul before a group of them attended a rugby match in Cardiff on the Saturday. On Sunday he would fly back to Dulles airport in time to take a few hours sleep and go to work. He loved to cruise with his wife and his mother with other friends tagging along. In May of this year he, Terri, and his mother took a cruise to Cuba. As soon as he heard cruise ships were now allowed to go into Cuba it was his wish to go. The cruise was special in every way as it was to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary and their 50th cruise. John has cruised to many exotic places, Laos, Bangkok, Istanbul, Turkey, Cairo Egypt, St Petersburg and Moscow, Russia, and many European countries. He has ridden camels at the pyramids in Egypt, and elephants in Laos. Last year he made his final trip to Wales in order to say goodbye to his loving family members and rugby buddies. A memorial service will be conducted 1 p.m. Thursday, August 3, 2017 at the Episcopal Church of Our Saviour on East Rio Road with the Reverend Kathleen Sturges officiating. Burial will immediately follow in the churchyard. A simple gathering will follow in the Parish Hall following the burial. A memorial service will be held in Northern Virginia sometime next week.~