James T. Spencer

SPENCER, James T. (1925 - 2005)
Forest and Trail Conservationist In 2001, James T. "Jim" Spencer was awarded the Boy Scouts of America's highest honor for his lifelong service and exceptional contributions to wildlife preservation and conservation - the BSA National Gold Medal William T. Hornaday Award. The award was given in recognition of his more than 30 years of conservation leadership on a national and regional level. Jim founded the BSA's "Trail Boss" program in 1971. His vision and tireless efforts built the program into a national model for volunteer cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service. The program trains Scoutmasters to supervise youth in volunteer conservation projects which improve the forests. Jim's 30 years of Trail Boss service resulted in hundreds of thousands of person-hours of contributed volunteer labor on trail and conservation projects, more than 400 Eagle Scout projects relating to forest and trail conservation, and over 6,000 Trail Saver and Forest Saver Awards earned by Scouts. In addition, Jim served as a full-time volunteer ranger in the Angeles National Forest beginning in 1987. Jim was an active volunteer, not only with the Boy Scouts and U.S. Forest Service, but also with St. James' Episcopal Church in Los Angeles, the Pacific Railroad Society and the Orange Empire Railway Museum. He credited his childhood Boy Scout experience with teaching him leadership and "hands on" electrical engineering skills that stood him in good stead as a young engineer. Having benefitted from the Troop 10 Boy Scout program at St. James', Jim served as an Assistant Scoutmaster and Scoutmaster of Troop 10. Jim was an "Eagle" scout, he was given the BSA's "Silver Beaver" award for distinguished service, and he had over 67 years of continuous Scouting experience. After retiring as Scoutmaster he joined the BSA Los Angeles Area Council High Adventure Team heading the Forest and Trail Conservation program. Combining his love of railroad history and forest trails, Jim designed, installed and maintained the Mt. Lowe Railway interpretive trail in the San Gabriel Mountains in cooperation with the Boy Scouts and U.S. Forest Service. A proud graduate of "Cal"- University of California at Berkeley- Jim worked over 38 years for Southern California Edison as an Electrical Engineer and Planner during a period of unprecedented growth in population and demand for electricity in Southern California. As the population quadrupled in size, he was part of the team building the infrastructure of substations and transmission lines, as well as generation facilities from hydroelectric and steam stations burning oil, to natural gas and nuclear and alternative energy. Jim is survived by his sister Jane Catherine Spencer Baird of Manhattan Beach, California, and nieces and nephews Catherine Wieder of Scott Bar, CA, Richard Baird of Panama City, Florida, Virginia Humphries of Columbia, Mississippi, Ellen Anderson of Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, Erin Anderson of Hericy, France and Philip C. Anderson II of Singapore. He was preceded in death by his brother Eugene Ord Spencer and sister Marymercer Spencer Anderson. Visitation will be Friday February 25, 2005 from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Callanan Mortuary, 1301 N. Western Ave., Los Angeles. A Funeral Mass will be held Saturday February 26, 2005 at 10:00 a.m. at St. James' Episcopal Church, 3903 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, (213) 388-3417. Burial will be at Mountain View Cemetery, 2400 N. Fair Oaks Ave., Altadena, CA (626) 794-7133 at approximately 1:00 p.m. Saturday, February 26, 2005, Founders Lawn Section. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made in Jim's memory to "BSA-LAAC-Trail Boss Program" and sent to: BSA/LAAC, Attn: Devin Daugherty, 2333 Scout Way, Los Angeles, CA 90026. An online guestbook is available at www.eulogycast.com. Callanan Mortuary Directors (323) 462-2266