Willard Spencer Marley, 83, of Slaton, passed away on March 31, 2025.

Memorial Services will be held at 2:00 pm Thursday, April 3, 2025 at Englunds Chapel. Arrangements are by Englunds Funeral Service of Slaton.

Spencer was born April 25, 1941, at The Hillburn Ranch in Lea County, New Mexico to Norman Roma Marley and Redah Cole Marley. Later the family moved to Wellman, Texas where he graduated from Wellman ISD in 1959. He loved helping his dad farm. Farming was his first passion. He felt a very special love and responsibility for his family. After finishing school, he went to work as a Ginner. He was always a fast learner and very near a perfectionist with anything he did. He enjoyed bowling with his friends. In the mid 60’s he moved to Waxahachie, Texas with his uncle Cecil and family and went to work as a Groundman for Flowers Construction Electric Powerline Company. In 1968, he met Carolyn, and they were married June 25 in Slaton, Texas. In 1972 their daughter Tonya was born. Spencer was hurt in a work-related accident in 1984 which left him unable to work in his chosen career. However, that did not stop him from staying busy for the rest of his life.

Spencer had a keen mind and was interested in the mechanics of the world around him. He enjoyed learning the how’s and why’s of weather events, geography, auto repair, plumbing and electrical repair, carpentry, and mill work. He also taught himself various forms of calligraphy, how to cook Cajan food, and how to build and repair computers, and had certificates in several computer programming languages including HTML, and C++. He enjoyed helping his brother map the best route as Ken drove a long-haul truck, building custom furniture, and learning about family history. His research on family history always excited him and extended to joining a genealogy club in Hillsboro, TX. He was instrumental in digitizing the records of the various Hill County cemeteries. He attended a calligraphy conference where he met a TV personality who taught calligraphy and complimented him on his skill saying if he learned that well from a couple of books, he could easily make a living doing calligraphy. Later he transitioned to woodworking and befriended a local cabinetmaker who said Spencer was at least as good as he was. Spencer was a real renaissance man.

He and Carolyn had a wonderful time RVing at several different lakes, with his sister Edna and various family members. He loved animals, and animals loved him. His dog Maurice went with him everywhere. Bluegrass music was his favorite music.

He was preceded in death by his dad, mother and brothers Jesse Homer Marley, and Shelby Eugene Marley.

He is survived by his wife Carolyn and daughter Tonya, two sisters, Norma Jean (Bob) Chaffin and Edna Allen, and one brother, Ken Marley, one aunt, Lela Marley as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins.