Spencer, John Galen, 1905-1970

Biography

John Galen Spencer was born on 3 August 1905 to Charles F. and Clara Hughes Spencer in Columbus, Kansas. He was the youngest of three sons, and grew up the son of a coal mining executive. His family moved to Pittsburg, Kansas in 1911, and Galen attended College High School where he lettered in football and participated in music and drama. Galen was also educated at the University of Kansas, after which he joined his father and brothers at the Pittsburg and Midway Coal Mining Company. After marrying Ada Belle Files in 1946, Galen left the coal mining business in the 1950's when the couple moved to Denver, Colorado. It is reported that Galen drove to Denver with about $3 million worth of securities in the trunk of his car. Galen established the Spencer Sporting Goods business in Englewood, Colorado, and he devoted a great deal of time, energy, and resources to supporting various sporting teams in the community. So enthusiastic and generous was Galen's support, the city of Englewood, Colorado named the softball complexes at Englewood's Centennial Park "Spencer Field" in his honor in March 1970, and he was posthumously inducted into The Colorado State Amateur Softball Association's (ASA) Hall of Fame in 1974. Galen died at the age of 65 on 27 August 1970. (Publication - Galen and Ada Belle Spencer Foundation: A Chronicle of the Patrons' Lives, undated, Galen and Ada Belle Spencer Foundation, Thomas P. Kearns, President, c/o Fairfield and Woods, P.C., 1700 Lincoln Street, Suite 2400, Denver, Colorado, 80203-4524, 303-894-4496)

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