50-Year-Reunion

William H “ Bill ” Spencer 19418 Stone Mountain Road, Abingdon, Virginia 24210 (276) 608 - 2170

After college at VT, I returned to Bluefield and worked for the City of Bluefield from September, 1979 to October, 1987. I met my wife, Shirl, while working there. We married in October, 1983, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Bluefield, West Virginia. We bought a small house in Bluefield, Virginia (remember 16% mortgage loans?) and began life together. On July 26, 1987, our first son, Joshua, was born in Bluefield, West Virginia, and soon afterward, I began working for the Virginia State Water Control Board in Roanoke, Virginia, October, 1987. In June, 1988, I transferred to the State Water Control Board office in Abingdon, Virginia. This agency merged with several others and became the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) in 1994. We, Shirl, Josh, and I, moved to Abingdon in October, 1988 and Abingdon has been home ever since. From 1995 to 2009, I coached Little League Baseball and Midget League Football in Abingdon, and served on the boards of both organizations. Our sons were multi - sport athletes at Abingdon High School from 2002 to 2010, and we followed them to every game. Son, Josh, graduated high school in 2005, and Radford University in 2009. Corey graduated from high school in 2010, and ETSU in 2016. Josh lives in Blacksburg, and works at VT as an IT specialist. Corey married in October of 2024, lives in Virginia Beach, and works as a probation supervisor for the Virginia Department of Corrections. We belong to St. John Lutheran Church in Abingdon, where I ’ ve served many years on various committees and church council. Our second son, Corey, was born in Abingdon, Virginia on May 7, 1991.

I retired from DEQ in June of 2022 after 35+ years. Shirl retired from the Department of Education that same year.

On October 15, 2023, Shirl and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary. Time certainly flies.

Together, we still live in Abingdon, and collectively enjoy the slower pace of retirement in a small town. We enjoy plays at Barter Theater, I like vegetable gardening, cooking, and we are passionate followers of VT sports. We are especially fond of Fall Football at VT, attending games, tailgating, and visiting with our sons. Go Hokies!

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