Ronald Spencer’s day usually begins in the wee hours of the morning. While the house is still quiet, he makes breakfast and a fresh pot of hot coffee for “Auntie,” his wife’s 96-year-old great aunt. Rest assured he doesn’t neglect his high school sweetheart and wife of 47 years, Gwendolyn. “He makes it for me on Saturdays,” she says with a grateful laugh.
With his jam-packed schedule, Ronald‘s retirement is not what most people typically imagine. However, he enjoys his life, and says remaining involved is his “secret to aging.” Three days a week, Ronald boxes to improve his agility and balance, an important consideration for someone who has Parkinson’s – a disease that can stiffen muscles and suppress a person’s activity and lifestyle. But he doesn’t let it slow him down.
Ronald, for over 40 years, has been: an active member of Bethel AME Church, a proud charter member of the male chorus, a member of Charles Sumner Lodge #24 of the Knights of Pythias, and serves as Grand Lodge Brigadier General for the fraternal organization founded on friendship, benevolence, and charity. Through these organizations, he has helped support community charities, such as the Sickle Cell Foundation, American Heart Association, and Habitat for Humanity.
Every day is special for Ronald, but Tuesdays are when he restores old cars, a favorite hobby that may be an outgrowth of his early career working in electronics and applied sciences for aviation. A member of the Old School Classic Car Association in Tallahassee, Ronald owns a two-door 1965 Chevy Nova and 1954 Chevy Bel Air. The best part of every Tuesday, Ronald visits with his daughter and they work on the 1963 Chevy Nova he gave her.
Ronald Spencer’s life is a testament to the blessings revealed from healthy, hard work. His advice to all of us is simple: “Continue to work as long as you can.
