Our Mom was born March 9, 1931, in Montrose, S.D., to Joseph and Bernice McCabe. She passed away peacefully Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, at her home in Clarkston.
She was preceded in death by her parents, an uncle, husband Ed, son Danny and multiple sisters and one brother.
She attended grade school at Montrose until moving with parents to Walla Walla, where she attended Jefferson and Walla Walla High Schools. Dad proposed to mom on her high school graduation day and they were married Nov. 12, 1949. They lived in Walla Walla until 1958 when they moved to Richland, living there until 1974. During their time in the Tri-Cities they operated various bakeries at Richland, Pasco and Kennewick.
In 1974, the Spencer family and the Baird (Kenny and Helen) family created a partnership to purchase the Green Mill Tavern in Clarkston and operated it successfully until 1991. While supporting the Green Mill with her record keeping abilities, Mom also became a well-known cake decorator for Albertsons Food Center with her employment lasting 18 years. The creations that came from her bakery table were art creations beyond compare. Mom was requested multiple times to create several cake creations for our various occasions.
Mom had many hobbies, including but not limited to: leather tooling, membership in the Lewis-Clark Pool League, fishing on the Hanford Reach, oil and acrylic painting, bowling, jewelry making and flower arranging.
Mom is survived by her three daughters and one son:
Daughter, Patty Lichy of Kennewick, and her children Shannon and husband Randy Reiss and their children Kody and Maddy of Blaine, Wash.; daughter, Stefanie and husband Mike Olson of Minnesota and their children Cooper and Carlie; daughter, Chele Lichy and her son Hunter Tallchief of New York.
Son Chuck and wife Karleen of Kennewick and daughter, Jennifer and husband Matt Johnson of Utah and their children Hayden and wife Elaine, daughters Emma and Grace and son Enoch; daughter, Joni Spencer and her daughter Olivia of Kennewick; son, Ryan and wife Kylene of Kennewick and their children Bryant and Brecken; daughter, Lacie Spencer of Utah and children Hope, Callie and Tyler.
Daughter Charlene and husband Bob Colkins of Lewiston, and their son Adam and daughter-in-law Maranda of Lewiston and their son Rylan.
Daughter, Michelle and husband Rick LaPlante of Lewiston, and their daughter Natasha and husband John Rudolph of Lewiston, and their children Russell and Quincy; daughter Shawna and husband Frank Campbell; daughter Shandi Burchard and her children Tristan, Evelyn and Henry; son, Chris and wife Kristen of Japan and their children, daughter Emmalynn and son Isaac.
Son, deceased, Danny and wife Dena Spencer and their daughter Alicia and husband Beau Nuxoll of Clarkston and their daughters Adalynn and Brielle; daughter, Brittney and husband Justin Zeliff of Clarkston and sons Jayce and Rayland; daughter, Cassidy Spencer of Clarkston.
A celebration of life will be held at a future date and notifications will be distributed.
We were fortunate to assist our mother through her last months and days. As they say it takes a village to raise a child, but it also takes a team to escort an elder parent through their final life journey. The assistance and care given to us by the Elite Hospice Team was greatly appreciated.
Merchant Funeral Home of Clarkston was in charge of the arrangements. The online guestbook is available to sign at merchantmemorialgroup.com.
