Alfred Spaeter Obituary

Alfred J. Spaeter
"The oldest Living Trojan Baseball Legend", You Tube 2015, a.k.a. "Big Al"

Our so very loved, admired and respected father went to be with his recently passed and cherished wife Jane, and brother Bill, on December 29, 2017. He missed them so much.

He was born in Angels Hospital in Los Angeles, March 4,1923 to Alfred Spaeter Sr. and Julia (Agnus) Foley Spaeter. His brother Bill was born the next year on March 6th and they became inseparable. They grew up in Inglewood, riding their bikes to Santa Monica and playing stickball in the streets with their younger cousin George Allen in tow.

Al loved and excelled in academics and all sports. Baseball was his favorite. At Fremont High he made "All Conference" twice as second baseman on three championship varsity teams. He then accepted a four year scholarship to play baseball for USC.

He played for new coach Rod Dedeaux, elected captain and as the Trojan's second baseman his team won the "Pacific Coast Conference" three times, Al making "All conference" twice, and elected "best second baseman of those conferences". In 1943 the Red Sox and New York Yankees offered him positions. He turned them down to finish his senior year. The next day he was recruited into the Navy where he served in both the European and South Pacific Theaters. He then returned to SC enjoying one more Trojan baseball championship and his senior year. He remained close to Dedeaux the rest of Rod's life.

He was a loyal Sigma Chi , and elected into the Honorary organization of Skull and Dagger excelling academically as a Business and Industrial Relations major as well as later in their Masters of Business Administration program.

On graduation day he signed with the Portland Beavers and played Triple A Pacific Coast league after beating out seven other second basemen for the position. He was quickly recruited away to play for the first place team at the time, Salem's Senators, (a Boston Red Sox team) They were first that year with a .353 hitting average from dad.

He left baseball noticing he was "gone a lot" and "never had a steady". He joined Douglas Aircraft where he finally found the love his life, Jane Williams who was working in Engineering Design. They were wed in 1955, moved to a new home in Rolling Hills Estates with a new baby daughter and a son to follow .

They loved the Peninsula, and made many lifelong friends joining many organizations including Bravo and Encore. They loved traveling the world but, dad said, " there was no place more beautiful than Palos Verdes."

A proven leader he had a very successful career heading up Design, Tooling and Engineering organizations for Douglas. He took early retirement, and was immediately recruited by Rockwell International to help produce 100 B1B bombers administering in the El Segundo and Palmdale plants.

He remained a lifelong loyal Trojan. The family went to all the home football games and many away games, tailgating with fellow Sigma Chis, their families, and other alums. He loved participating in the Trojan Coaches Club and The Trojan Club. His and his Trojan brother Bill's USC enthusiasm inspired a legacy of six family members attending USC.

His love of sports never subsided and he excelled as a skier, handball and tennis player, and golfer. Light on his feet, he was a terrific dancer and he so enjoyed swinging Jane about the dance floor. They were remarkable together.

He loved being a grandfather and taught his granddaughters so much about life.

He is survived by his daughter, Lori Carlson and her husband, Doug, his son, Larry and Robert de la Vara, granddaughter, Courtney Harden, and Jack Harden and his great granddaughter, Lucy, granddaughter, Kelsey and her fiancee, Kurt Murin, his cousin, George Allen and his wife, Joni, niece, Diane Webb and Rick Webb along with his great niece and nephew, Claire Webb, Matthew Webb and his fiancée Marjorie Mc Gregor, his nephew, Kurt Spaeter and his daughter, Emily and beloved friends.

The family would like to thank Jane and Al's wonderful Always Right Home Care caregivers, Jane Mitchell, Vanessa Kirk, Julia Harris, Dennis Babila, Hilda Lopez, Ladonna Blandon, Willy Ledford, as well as Norma Lopez.

There will be a memorial to celebrate his and Jane's life on Friday, February 16, 2018 at the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, Redondo Beach. A light breakfast reception will be held at 10:30 in Rygh Hall, followed by the Memorial service at 11:30. Graveside service will occur at 1:30 Inglewood Park Cemetery. Please sign the guestbook at www.dailybreeze.com/obits

Published by Daily Breeze from Jan. 27 to Jan. 29, 2018.

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