Clarence James Spencer

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Clarence James Spencer (Spence), in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. He passed peacefully on Sunday, November 10, 2024 at the age of 84, having spent his final days surrounded by his entire immediate family.

Spence, as he was known to all, was a dedicated and loving husband, father, and grandfather, who put his family first. He is survived by his wife Linda (nee Barclay), his daughters Virginia (Rick Whitman) and Juanita (Mark Peck), and grandchildren, Evan (Paige Stewart), Katie and Sarah.

Both land and sea were Spence’s playground, and this showed in all aspects of his life from career to recreation. He found great pleasure in his career as a biologist at

Environment Canada, especially his field work. His other pursuits also reflected his love of the outdoors, including scuba diving, sea kayaking, fishing, carving songbirds, whales and other wildlife. He took great pride in creating a haven for local wildlife in his yard, spending countless hours making space for birds, reptiles and many other creatures. His beautiful fishpond and stream, with a hearty stock of goldfish, was a magnet for neighbours, friends and others who heard about it, and served as a classroom for many a pond enthusiast.

Although Spence lived in central Canada as a young adult, he returned to his Nova Scotia home, the place where “even the horizon looks better”.

He was a strong believer in helping others, especially the young, to cultivate the skills and appreciation of nature. Whether it was creating school presentations for environmental protection, or fascinating the neighbourhood children with his backyard fishpond, he always made time to teach and inspire.

A do-it-yourself kind of guy, his garage (not really contained in one space!), was a sprawling collection of tools and materials for any job. But nothing went unused, and he always had what was needed if you just “give me a minute to find it”! He was always there to help anyone who asked, to weld wood stoves, utility trailers, build kayaks and help with home repairs. He was never one to say no to a good DIY challenge!

Spence lived a principled and fulfilling life – a lesson for us all. He will be dearly missed. The family requests a donation to either the Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation or The Canadian Wildlife Federation, in lieu of flowers.

A reception tea will be held on Saturday, December 7, 2024, from 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm, at A.L. Mattatall Funeral Home - 217 Portland St., Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. All are welcome.