GEOFFREY CROSTHWAITE SPENCER

Born: February 12, 1941
Died: September 7, 2012

Geoffrey Crosthwaite Spencer was born in Los Angeles, son of John C. and Joyce Fleethorn Spencer. He came to Yale from the Cate School in Carpinteria, California.

Geoff was a resident of Jonathan Edwards College. He was a member of the Yale Political Union and in the Freshman Chorus, and an American Studies major.

After graduation he served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve. He then entered the insurance field beginning with a tour at Lloyd's of London before returning to California. In 1972 he moved into reinsurance work and relocated to New York City, living first in suburban Connecticut and then in Manhattan.

He subsequently moved to Florida where he resided in Coral Gables. He retired from the Miami office of Willis Re, Inc., after 40 years in the industry.

Geoff married in 1966 and was divorced in 1984. He leaves 3 children: Sarah Pirrera (husband Edward) of Canton. Massachusetts, Matthew (wife Allison) of Silver Spring, Maryland, and Timothy (wife Lauren) of Boston. He had 5 grandchildren: Samuel, Abigail and Courtney Spencer, and Rachel and Christopher Pirrera. He also leaves his devoted partner Ruben Rodriquez.

Writing in our 25th Reunion Book, Geoff stressed how rewarding it was to spend time with his children: "They continue to be a remarkable source of knowledge for me and it is a pleasure to be able to learn from them."

His concluding observations provide a fitting epitaph:

Certainly life's complexities and occasional unpredictability have presented greater challenges than were personally foreseeable when we were at Yale; the greater dimension of life which has resulted is very satisfying, and the wisdom which the passing years have allowed us to achieve is more comforting than those quick and ready answers of our youth. Meanwhile the relative tranquility of our undergraduate life at Yale leaves positive memories as we proceed through what seem to be endlessly busy years, enduring life's trials and tribulations and enjoying its pleasure and rewards.