Mildred was born in Burlington, Colo., Nov. 13, 1923, in her parents’ home on their farm. She was the third of the four girls born into the Spencer family.
When her parents could no longer live on their farm, the family moved to Lewiston. Mildred played French horn in the Lewiston High School band. Her participation in the high school band was the beginning of a lifelong love of music. Mildred loved to play the piano and sing in the church choir. She was able to pass her love of music on to her children and grandchildren.
After she graduated from high school, Mildred married her high school sweetheart, Jay Grendahl. Jay was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in the European Theater. During their marriage of 19 years, they had three children, Jay Spencer, Paula Jean and Richard Paul. During the first 17 years, Mildred enjoyed being a homemaker, was active with the Boy Scouts, Brownies, 4-H, singing in the choir and various church activities at the First Baptist Church in Moscow. However, when her husband Jay was diagnosed with cancer, Mildred went to work at Tri-State Distributors, a large department store in Moscow. Two years later, Jay passed away.
Mildred worked for 30 years at Tri-State. Her love of helping people and incredible work ethic enabled her to rise to the position of buyer for the Housewares Department. Mildred excelled as a buyer and received recognition from many appliance companies, including General Electric, West Bend and the Oster Appliance Co. She was well known and respected for her expertise throughout the Northwest.
Several years after she was widowed, Mildred married Earl Humphrey. They had three wonderful years together before Earl passed away. Later, she married Cleo Miller and moved to Longview, Wash. They were both retired and were able to take several fantastic trips in their motor home before Cleo passed away from cancer. Mildred continued to live in Longview for 12 years and was very active in the Community Church. There, she was a recipient of their Andrew Award for having the heart of a servant.
Mildred next moved to Tigard, Ore., to be closer to family. She lived at Pacific Pointe and attended church with Paula and Myron. Mildred enjoyed attending the Tigard Church of God, and her last church home, Southwest Church of Christ.
Family, lifelong friends, playing family games, being a hostess, and music were some of Mildred’s favorite things. However, during her entire life, Mildred loved and followed the Lord. She was a strong prayer warrior and truly a person with a servant’s heart. She was always “grateful and thankful” for Christ’s love in her life and the many “gifts” God had blessed her with during her lifetime of 96 years. Mildred passed away peacefully with her daughter by her side Sunday, May 24, 2020.
She was preceded in death by her husbands, Jay, Earl and Cleo; son-in-law Myron Roberts; and grandson John Michael Grendahl. She is survived by her children, Jay Spencer (Gayle), of Los Angeles, Paula Roberts, of Portland, Ore., and Richard (Claire), of Staunton, Va. A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Moscow Cemetery.
