Spencer M. Sheridan

1987 - 2021

Spencer McClain Sheridan was killed in a tragic and horrific boating accident in Miami, FL on January 4, 2021. He was 33 years old. Spencer was born on September 2, 1987 in Yorba Linda, CA. He was raised in Yorba Linda until he went away to college. He attended Travis Ranch School for elementary and middle school. He then attended Esperanza High School in Anaheim and graduated in 2006. In high school he was known for his wit and humor, but mostly for his academic and intellectual prowess. Spencer was an honor student and scored in the 99th percentile on his college admission test such as SAT and ACT. He participated in cross country track for all four years in high school. He was also active in the Boy Scout program for years and attained the rank of Eagle Scout. Through that program he developed a love for the outdoors, through extensive hiking and camping experiences over many years, and that spirit never left him during his adult years. Spencer attended Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT and graduated in 2010. He received a Bachelor's Degree in American Studies. He took one year off to do volunteer service work for the Conservation Corp and served in the Chiricahua National Monument in AZ working on environmental issues, which was always a cause close to his heart. He completed 4 years of course work at Wesleyan in 3 years and graduated with honors. During his college years he pursued his love for the creative arts and was involved in film studies, art appreciation, music, radio broadcasting and the school newspaper. Upon graduation, Spencer settled in Philadelphia where he co-founded a theater company called No Face Performance Group and began producing plays and shows at his DIY performance venue No Space. There he began a career in the creative arts as a lighting specialist and designer for event planning and theatrical lighting. Spencer ran operations wherever he went and quickly established his name and reputation in the greater theatrical community, eventually meeting Thaddeus Phillips, who was the creator and lead actor in a play called "17 Border Crossings". Spencer quickly became Thaddeus's production manager and helped develop his plays into international touring sensations, traveling and performing in over 20 different countries and dozens of US cities. Spencer took a break from the theater to spend a year teaching in Japan. Always loving a challenge, Spencer committed himself to learning to speak Japanese and write the language using Japanese characters, quickly mastering both disciples. After one year in Japan and before his return home, he bought a motorcycle and toured all of Japan, traveling to remote villages and destinations, avoiding all tourist destinations, and immersing himself in the culture. He took great pride in his ability to speak the language with locals throughout his extended trip. Always a writer of beautiful and playful letters, Spencer's correspondence exploded with Kanji. Spencer re-located to the Los Angeles area and developed a self-employment business as a post-production editor and graphic design consultant. His work varied from web site design to editing for commercials. He gained a reputation for his no nonsense approach to workflow and was in demand by several of the top editing firms in LA. His work and fingerprints can be found in dozens of eclectic projects, notably including: Comedian Tim Heidcer's television series Decker, the artist Kahlil Joseph's BLKNWS Project, and Beyonce's Formation World Tour documentary. Some of his peers have said that Spencer had seen more of the world and done more by age 33 than most people could in a lifetime. At the time of his death Spencer had finished his first screenplay and was making preparations to move his disciples into the movie and motion picture arena. But his life was cut short with so much work left undone. What a shame. Spencer is survived by his parents, Dick and Marcia Sheridan who currently reside in Hilton Head Island, SC. Also, his brothers, Barrett and Trenton, and his sister Chelsea, and his brother-in-law Drew Taylor and sister-in-law, Alisa Sheridan and his beloved nephew, Finn. He is also mourned by a large extended family of aunts, uncles and cousins. His family has been touched and gratified by the hundreds of notes, correspondences, letters, messages, emails, texts, and phone calls received from his friends all around the world expressing their love for Spencer and sharing so many personal stories of their relationship with him. These communications are a testimony to the love, caring and tenderness Spencer brought to the world. Friends and family will be having a Celebration of Life for Spencer on Saturday, August 28th from 1 PM to 5 PM. The location will at 1700Naud, an art gallery in the Chinatown area of Los Angeles. The address is 1700 Naud Street, Los Angeles, CA. It'll be an informal and open forum and all friends of Spencer and his family are invited. For more details regarding the event, go to www.RememberingSpence.com and please RSVP. You can also send an email to family members at RememberingSpence@gmail.com. If you'd like to send money in memory of Spencer, you can make a donation to Spencer's favorite thrift store, LA Road Thrift Store located at 3516 Eagle Rock Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90065, Phone (323) 739-6478. www.laroadthriftstore.org Spencer, we love you and think of you every day. Thanks for the gift you've given us by being part of our life. May you rest in peace.