October 22, 1946 - June 29, 2020
It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to long-time Hope resident Spencer DeAngelis. Spencer passed away peacefully on June 29th, as dawn broke, surrounded by his family.
He is survived by his daughter Austina (Greg), grandsons Andrew and Evan, brother Kerry (Dar), many special nieces and nephews and in-laws. Spencer was predeceased by his parents Tony and Molly DeAngelis, his wife, Mary, son Ryan, and many other cherished family members.
Spencer was born and raised in Hope, B.C. He was the second youngest of the 13 DeAngelis children. The DeAngelis's were a close-knit Italian family and Spencer shared a special bond with his siblings and loved sharing stories of his childhood.
As a young boy, Spence, found his passion in the service industry while working for the local Shop Easy grocery store delivering groceries on his bicycle and later managing stores in Hope and Vancouver. Spence made the switch to restaurants in his 20s and moved to Cache Creek, B.C. to manage a popular restaurant.
It was here that he met a beautiful Newfie girl who stole his heart. Spence and Mary married in Alaska and moved back to Hope and bought Ryan's Drive-In Restaurant.
For over 20 years, Spence put his heart and soul into Ryan's.
Over the years, Ryan's saw thousands of travellers stopping for a Chicken Pot Pie and many a Hope teenager finding their first job. Spence welcomed customers from around the globe always with a smile and conversation.
At the busy junction of 3 highways, many a weary traveller arrived, and Spence never turned anyone away who needed a helping hand. In 1995, Ryan's was destroyed by a mudslide and Spence and Mary moved forward with positivity and ran the Hope Golf and Country Club catering service.
Taking an early retirement, Spence later filled his days volunteering in the community, spending time with his family and visiting with his many friends.
Spence took great pride in giving back to all, especially his community. Over the 7 decades that he lived in Hope, he belonged to a variety of organizations. Spence was a long-time member, and past president, of the Hope Rotary Club as well as Hope Curling Club and Royal Canadian Legion.
He donated countless hours of his time to many Hope projects and took great pride in being a long-time resident of Hope. In his final years he found great enjoyment in visiting with friends and sharing a beverage at the Legion. He also loved sports and over the years could be found curling, playing ball or golfing as well as cheering for his beloved Montreal Canadians.
Spencer enjoyed his family immensely and was always happiest when celebrating with family and friends at one of the countless gatherings held over the decades. Spencer had a steadfast love for his daughter, Austina, and the two shared an incredibly close relationship.
His two grandsons, Andrew and Evan were the light of his life and he could always be found deep in conversation with one of his boys discussing one of life's great mysteries or football. He remained close with his childhood group of friends and especially looked forward to his best friend Garry's weekly visits. Spencer truly cherished his time with friends and family and his kind, generous ways will be forever remembered.
Though we are grieving the loss of Spencer, he always reminded us that he led a good, full life with no regrets. After losing his wife of 44 years three years ago and coping with a chronic illness, Spencer remained positive and found enjoyment in each day.
Our family would like to thank the outstanding nursing and hospice staff at Fraser Canyon Hospital. We would like to thank Dr. Aseem Grover and Dr. Rosanna Switzer for their compassionate care.
We are especially thankful for the Home Support Team whose dedication allowed Spencer to live out his final years at home.
Please join Spencer's family at an Open House at the Hope Royal Canadian Legion Hall, 344 Fort Street, on August 15, 2020. Drop-ins welcomed between 1 pm - 3 pm. Covid protocols will be followed.
For those who are not able to attend the family would love to hear your stories and memories about Spencer. Memorial messages will be welcomed at rememberingspencerd@gmail.com
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Spencer's honor to the Hope Royal Canadian Legion, Hope Hospice Society or a charity of your choice.