Merrill A. Bentley Spencer was born on October 27, 1916. He was the son of John Thomas Spencer (b. 1867, d. 1949) and Ida Miriam Spencer (b. August 15, 1882, d. 1968). Merrill married Ella Smith in Ft. Lauderdale, Broward County, Florida on October 24, 1936. They divorced in 1939 in Miami, Miami-Dade County, Florida. To this marriage there were no children born. After attending one year of high school at Ponce de Leon High in Miami, Florida, by trade Merrill was a semiskilled mechanic and repairmen on motor vehicles. In 1942, he enlisted into the Army at Camp Blanding in Starke, Florida as a Private. During his tour of duty, Merrill served as an ambulance driver in France and continued to develop his skills as a mechanic. According to older family members sometime in early 1942, Merrill was transferred to the Philippines and was involved in the gruesome “Death March of Bataan” which began on April 9, 1942. When Merrill returned from the war he worked as a Master Mechanic and a fisherman. Family legend states that Commercial Fishermen would seek out Merrill to identify the best fishing spots in the area. During this time after the war Merrill lived with his sister Katherine and his parents. Merrill died on September 21, 1974 and is buried alongside his sister Katherine at Miami Memorial Park in Miami, Miami-Dade County, Florida.
Merrill A. Bentley Spencer was born on October 27, 1916. He was the son of John Thomas Spencer (b. 1867, d. 1949) and Ida Miriam Spencer (b. August 15, 1882, d. 1968). Merrill married Ella Smith in Ft. Lauderdale, Broward County, Florida on October 24, 1936. They divorced in 1939 in Miami, Miami-Dade County, Florida. To this marriage there were no children born. After attending one year of high school at Ponce de Leon High in Miami, Florida, by trade Merrill was a semiskilled mechanic and repairmen on motor vehicles. In 1942, he enlisted into the Army at Camp Blanding in Starke, Florida as a Private. During his tour of duty, Merrill served as an ambulance driver in France and continued to develop his skills as a mechanic. According to older family members sometime in early 1942, Merrill was transferred to the Philippines and was involved in the gruesome “Death March of Bataan” which began on April 9, 1942. When Merrill returned from the war he worked as a Master Mechanic and a fisherman. Family legend states that Commercial Fishermen would seek out Merrill to identify the best fishing spots in the area. During this time after the war Merrill lived with his sister Katherine and his parents. Merrill died on September 21, 1974 and is buried alongside his sister Katherine at Miami Memorial Park in Miami, Miami-Dade County, Florida.
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