Mr. John William “Jack” Spencer, age 88, of Columbus, Ohio, formerly of Switzerland County, Indiana. Jack was born on March 6, 1937, in Madison, Indiana, the son of the late Eugene Simpson and Mildred (Poston) Spencer. He was raised in Switzerland County and graduated in 1955 from Vevay High School. On June 2, 1957, he married his high school sweetheart, Edna Pearl Clark, at the Ruter Chapel United Methodist Church in Vevay. He went on to earn a four-year degree in electrical engineering from Purdue University, graduating in 1959.
After college, Jack was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force as a Second Lieutenant and began his military flight training at Craig Air Force Base in Selma, Alabama. On February 26, 1960, he soloed a Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star, a two-seat jet trainer used to transition pilots to high-performance jets. Coincidentally, his firstborn son, Nick Spencer, was born that very same day at Craig Air Force Base-the same base where Jack had just completed his solo flight.
Soon after, Jack was selected for helicopter test pilot training, an opportunity he credited to his close friend, General Chuck Yeager. Promoted to the rank of Captain, he completed his advanced flight training and was assigned to a U.S.-U.K. military test pilot exchange program. While stationed in England, Jack, Edna Pearl, and his family became close friends with fellow test pilot and future Apollo 11 astronaut Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin. Aldrin, then a decorated Air Force pilot with a Doctorate of Science in Astronautics from MIT, would go on to become the Lunar Module Pilot of Apollo 11 and the second man to walk on the moon. Jack treasured this lifelong connection.
Following his military service, Jack transitioned to civilian aerospace and relocated to Clarence, New York, with his wife Edna Pearl and sons, where he served for five years as the chief test pilot for Bell Aerospace. In that role, he led test flight programs as the chief test pilot for some of the most advanced experimental aircraft of the era. These included the famous X-22A; the Bell Rocket Belt, a personal propulsion device for short-range flight; and the Bell Pogo, a two-person rocket-powered platform originally designed to explore potential lunar mobility. Jack was directly involved in flight testing these vehicles, contributing to the frontier of aviation and space technology.
Among the many historic moments from this period were several documented in rare photographs. One shows Chief Test Pilot Spencer seated in the cockpit of the X-22A alongside General Chuck Yeager and co-pilot Dick Carlin. Another captures him piloting the Bell Rocket Belt. He was also photographed in an orange flight suit in front of the X-22A, and beside a Shelby Mustang chase car, highlighting the dynamic nature of experimental flight testing. The May 24, 1965, issue of Aviation Week & Space Technology featured the X-22A on its cover, underscoring the program’s significance and Jack’s leadership in its development.
Additional photographs from this era include Chief Test Pilot Spencer standing with astronaut Major General Joe Henry Engle, overlooking a lunar landing site. Engle, a fellow test pilot, flew the supersonic X-15 rocket plane and later commanded multiple Space Shuttle missions. Jack was also photographed being fitted for a NASA flight suit, signifying his inclusion in the broader spaceflight community. In 1968, in Wheatfield, New York, he was pictured with Vice President Hubert Humphrey, astronaut Neil Armstrong, and Bell Aerospace President Bill Geise-capturing a moment shared with some of the most iconic figures in American aerospace history.
On February 26, 1976-sixteen years to the day after his own T-33 solo-Jack’s son Nick soloed a Varga 2150A Kachina from the John Glenn International Airport (CMH), on his 16th birthday. Jack had served as Nick’s flight instructor, personally training him for that milestone. The Kachina, tail number N 76 WL, was owned by Jack’s company, Wing Leasing Inc., where he served as part-owner and chief flight instructor. The tail number held personal symbolism: “76” commemorated the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, and “WL” stood for Wing Leasing. The aircraft’s red, white, and blue paint scheme reflected the spirit of the Bicentennial.
Wing Leasing, Inc. operated out of John Glenn International Airport, the same field where Nick completed his solo flight. The airport is named in honor of John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, who made history in 1962 aboard the Mercury-Atlas 6 spacecraft. With Ohio recognized as the Birthplace of Aviation, and the symbolism of Glenn’s legacy tied to that location, Jack saw special meaning in that day. Father and son, both soloing on the same date, sixteen years apart, in a Bicentennial aircraft owned by the family business-these were not coincidences, but threads in a legacy Jack deeply cherished.
After his distinguished aviation career, Jack shifted his focus to business and served for over three decades as the CEO of Mulch Manufacturing, Inc. Under his leadership, the company became the largest mulch manufacturer and distributor in the United States. In 1990, he was named a finalist for the prestigious Entrepreneur of the Year Award by Ernst & Young, Inc. Magazine, and Merrill Lynch. A photograph of the award plaque still commemorates this recognition. Jack’s leadership, innovation, and vision-so evident in the cockpit-found continued expression in his business success.
John William “Jack” Spencer lived a life defined by courage, precision, patriotism, and legacy. He stood at the center of some of the most important technological advances of the 20th century and shaped the industries he touched with relentless dedication. From the test flight hangars of Bell Aerospace to the executive offices of Mulch Manufacturing, his life was one of excellence.
Jack passed away at 4:51 a.m., Monday, March 31, 2025, at the Mount Carmel East Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
Jack is survived by his sons, Nick Spencer of Westerville, OH, and Ralph Spencer of Jacksonville, FL; his grandchildren, Tyler Spencer and Christie Spencer; and his brother, Raymond Spencer and his wife, Cheryl of MI.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Eugene Simpson and Mildred (Poston) Spencer, died December 17, 1968, and his wife, Edna Pearl (Clark) Spencer, died August 31, 2024.
Interment will be held in the Vevay Cemetery, Vevay, Indiana.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Charity of the Donor’s Choice. Cards are available at the funeral home or online at www.haskellandmorrison.com