Josephine Spence

JOSEPHINE SPENCE, age 88, of Center Point passed away peacefully in her home on Monday, September 16, 2013 after a short battle with cancer. Josephine was a long-time and the oldest living member of her church, the Bridge Point Church in Clay(formerly the Bethel Church of God, Birmingham), having served as a board member and treasurer for over 27 years. She retired at age 79 following 28 years at Holt & Cooper, Attorneys at Law, having served most of those years as office manager. She was a much beloved mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, sister, aunt, neighbor, churchman and friend known for her sweet and loving spirit. Her faith in God was deep and one that sustained her in the premature deaths of her husband at age 34 and her son Larry at 29. To those who knew her she was a spiritual giant and an often-heard phrase among fellow churchmen and family is, "she was my hero." She was preceded in death by her parents, Salvatore (Sam), Jessie (Needham) Carruba; husband Allie Jr.; son, Larry; brothers Mallie, Carl, Sammie, Joseph, Eugene; and sisters, Rosa Lee Salvagio, Sarah Hollingsworth and Lucy Galbraith. She is survived by her son, the Rev. Dr. Randall Spence of Westerville, Ohio; her daughters-in-law, Pam (Randall) of Westerville and Ginger Spence of Hamilton, Ohio; grandchildren, Melanie Edwards (Robert) of Westerville, Ohio, David (Melinda) of Dayton, Ohio, Matthew (Sarah) of Cincinnati, Ohio, Rev. Jeremy (Aleesha) of Hamilton, Ohio, Rebecca Spence also of Hamilton; six great-grandchildren, Aysia and Madison Edwards, Riley and Jacob Spence, Daniel and Josiah Spence; and three sisters, Mary Amundson of Arcadia, California, Susie Holcolm (Leland) of Springville, Alabama, and Geneva Ferguson of Oneonta, Alabama. Visitation will be held 6-8:00 PM Thursday, Sept. 19 at Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home. The service will be 2:00 PM Friday with Reverend Mark Higdon officiating in the funeral home chapel. The burial will be at Jefferson Memorial Gardens East. Jefferson Memorial Trussville directing.