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Renaissance man's legacy continues
Frederick L. Spencer Jr. Memorial Fund will benefit local artists: Fred Spencer, of Upperville, one friend remembered, used to write himself many notes. One such note reminded him to make new friends.
In talking to those who knew this man, it becomes obvious he made many friends.
And Spencer is continuing to make friends even after his death in April at age 77, as his family, friends and neighbors nurture the memorial fund created in his name to benefit area artists.
Fred Spencer was a building contractor with a passion for the arts. In his 70s, he was still actively involved in community pursuits, from church to theater to fine arts. Everyone who met him liked him.
"He was a Renaissance man," said Middleburg artist Doris Weeks, his art teacher and friend. "He was a poet. He wrote music." Weeks said he also performed with the Middleburg Players every year.
Then, one day, when Spencer was 73, Weeks said, "He came to me and said, 'I want to learn how to paint.'"
So Weeks taught him art for four years.
And this started a joint art venture that was to lead to the foundation that continues in Spencer's name.
Weeks and Spencer had known each other for years. Their children ?Spencer had three -- had gone to the private Hill School in Middleburg together.
Spencer's wife, Molly, already had some painting experience and had taught at the Hill School for many years. Before coming to Middleburg in 1966, Weeks had been an art supervisor with the Arlington County Public School System. The two women had a rapport that developed into a 40-year-long friendship.
It was at Fred Spencer's suggestion that Weeks began teaching art classes in her studio in 2002.
"It started with just Molly and Fred," Weeks said. "I had gotten into painting on a full-time basis after we sold our business. I couldn't really paint while trying to raise three children and run a business. ... When I retired from the business, I was able to start painting full time and showing my work. Fred and Molly were interested in me teaching, so I got back into teaching."
After that first year, more people joined the group, and Spencer and Weeks began making plans for an art show.
"My main goal was go get the people involved in a charitable undertaking," Weeks said. "None of them were doing art to make money ?we wanted to contribute something to the community through our art. We wanted to learn how to frame and market our work, but to have a goal for it, something meaningful."
They dubbed themselves A Class Act and held the first show at Trinity Episcopal Church in Upperville in September 2006 and raised $5,000 for the Piedmont Day Care Center.
"Fred was an inspiration," Weeks said. "His work was very special. He was able not only to do his own work, but inspired others because he found such joy and pleasure in painting. To have one person like that inspires everyone else."
Tragedy struck, however, when Spencer died in a car accident April 4. The community was stunned, and the outpouring of grief and support filled Trinity Episcopal Church beyond its capacity, Weeks said.
Piedmont Community Foundation Executive Director Karen Krei said that shortly after Spencer's death, an anonymous donor opened the Frederick L. Spencer Jr. Memorial Fund with a contribution of $10,000. This was done under the aegis of The Piedmont Community Foundation.
"This is an endowment and that means it's permanent," Krei said. "[Piedmont Community Foundation] never spends the funds; we invest them in the portfolio, and once a year, during the fourth quarter, we look at how much they have and tell the community what's available to apply for."
A Class Act decided to join the effort.
"[Fred] has a legacy and that legacy was set up in his name with the Piedmont Community Foundation," Weeks said. "It was a natural for us to contribute."
A Class Act got its act together and held an show in October, a show that netted $7,500 for the fund.
Krei explained how the Piedmont Community Foundation and any community foundation works.
"A community foundation serves the same purpose as a private foundation, but it's for everybody," Krei said. "You don't have have to be a bazillionaire to use it. We are trying to build a community endowment, and that takes the form of the vision of all our donors."
The Spencer Fund, Krei said, just passed $20,000 mark with this last $7,500.
"The Middleburg Players gave $2,000, since he and Molly were part of that group as well," Krei said.
The funds are intended to benefit all artists whether they be writers, painters, musicians, sculptors, actors or dancers.
"We would work in partnership with local individuals, families, private foundations, corporations and nonprofit agencies to build charitable funds that are each planted for a specific reason to enrich our community life. We help people act on their charitable convictions. We act as a catalyst. ... We join the donor and the community in a collective power," Krei explained
"This way philanthropy is worry-free. We take care of the grant paperwork, the government reporting, the accounting, all of that," Krei said.
A memorial fund that continues to give to the arts community is an appropriate legacy for Fred Spencer.
"He never said no," Weeks said. "He always helped. He was an inspiration to everyone."
Contact the writer at ecarlton@timespapers.com
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