Marin Harmon Spencer

September 18, 1930 - June 16, 2024

Marin passed after a lengthy illness. Born in San Francisco, she lived in San Mateo until her family relocated to San Marino in 1942. She attended South Pasadena High School where she met Charles Spencer '46 through her best friend Laura, Chuck's little sister.

On the surface, Marin lived her life as did many women of the era. After two years studying music at Pomona College in Claremont, she set her education aside to marry Chuck in 1950. She moved to San Luis Obispo with him while he finished his studies at the then men-only Cal Poly. But underneath, Marin quietly resisted the limiting expectations of 1950s suburbia. In 1959, after their first two children were born, she and Chuck left behind a comfortable life in Pomona and moved to Big Pine, California, where Chuck began work at the Owens Valley Radio Observatory. They custom-ordered a 1959 GMC 4x4 Carryall and spent their weekends exploring the dirt roads of the high desert and the Sierra back when very few folk did so. This led to a half century of hiking, camping and backpacking, among their greatest shared joys.

In 1965, Marin and Chuck built a unique home on a rugged property in Wilkerson Ranch where they raised their six children. She made whole grain bread, yogurt, tofu, and granola at a time those were not readily available in the local markets. She sewed much of the family's clothing, including outdoor gear before the days of REI and Patagonia. She cut her hair short and preferred jeans and Birkenstocks over more elegant attire. As an avid learner, Marin was a founding member of the Bishop Book club and devoted much of her spare time to reading, often prioritized over housework. Marin regularly enrolled in local courses, studying fiber arts, ceramics, drawing, astronomy, Spanish, German, and flight ground school. In her 50s, she returned to her formal studies and completed her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education at Cal State Bakersfield. 

Marin was a great supporter of public education. She worked as a teacher's aide, substitute teacher, Site Council parent representative, assistant cross country coach, and American Field Service club advisor for the Bishop schools for three decades, contributing her wisdom and wit to the challenges of bringing up youth. Her love of music featured prominently in her life. She studied classical piano since childhood, practiced the French horn out on the front porch, and was a long time core member of the Community Concert Association. She formed a local chapter of the American Recorder Society. She loved early music and the many friends she made playing Baroque recorder. And she reveled in a household full of her children's music, patient with their instrument practice and embracing their more current tastes in music.

Marin led a physically active life. After decades of hiking, she began running in her 40s. She ran local 10Ks and completed the 1983 Avon International Women's Marathon at age 52, running the same course later used in the 1984 Olympics. As she aged, she continued to exercise outdoors every day into her 80s even as her memory began to fail her.

We remember Marin as an energetic, witty and brave mother, undeterred by raising six children in a rustic rural home, enjoying and supporting each of us as we found our ways to adulthood. Marin is survived by her children, Lisa (Dennis) Spupanich, Julie Spencer, Keith (Jamie) Spencer, Glenn (Mary) Spencer, Carla Napoles, and Amy (Robert) Ackroyd; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband Charles Spencer, parents Forrest and Helen Harman, siblings Chris, Diana, and Wilson Harmon.

Inyo Register, July 13, 2024