Josephine Spencer

Josephine Farmer Spencer, age 93, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, passed away peacefully on January 21, 2024, surrounded by her devoted family. She will be remembered for her kindness, generosity, and friendship to others throughout her life, leaving an indelible impression upon those who knew her.

Josephine was born in 1930 in Junction, Texas of pioneer stock, and grew up on the F6 ranch where she and her two sisters spent more time riding horses than anything. She was a crack shot, and stories have it that she could hit a pecan tossed in the air with a pistol. She attended Hollins College and the University of Texas, married Robert Spencer, and settled in Kensington, Maryland, where they raised two sons. Upon Robert's retirement from the US Air Force, they moved to Danville, Vermont, where they enjoyed gardening and the outdoors for many years; Josephine loved her flowers. She developed nine new iris hybrids, naming them for favorite outdoor places, including Willoughby, Angel's Landing and Going to the Sun. Josephine and Robert moved to Sioux Falls in 2006 to be near family.

Josephine was a lifelong volunteer, serving as church pianist, story-hour teacher for children, and docent at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, to name a few. Her lifelong love of books led her to refresh a number of libraries in communities where she lived. At Touchmark Retirement Home she started a monthly newsletter called the Grapevine, which provided a lifeline connecting residents during the Covid lockdown. She loved music, and her favorite activity at Touchmark was singing and playing folk songs on the piano every Thursday in the Memory Care unit.

Josephine was preceded in death by Robert, her husband of 60 years, her parents, her two sisters and their husbands. She is survived by her sons, Mark (Leslie) of Princeton, MA, and Craig (Suzannah) of Sioux Falls, SD, three granddaughters, Elizabeth (Hans), Sarah (Kyle), Louise (James), seven great grandchildren, and many beloved kin in Texas.

A memorial service will be held at a later date (updates at chapelhillfuneralhome.com and the Argus Leader). Interment will be at the Black Hills National Cemetery alongside her beloved Robert. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to Avera Home Hospice, PO Box 5045, Sioux Falls, SD 57117.