William J. Spies

William J. Spies, age 89, of Aberdeen, MD, died on March 25, 2011 at his home. Born on a small farm in Harford Furnace in Harford County, he attended St. Stephens High School in Bradshaw. The fifth child born in a family of eight children, he was the first to graduate from High School. He enlisted in the Marine Corps during World War II and went to Boot Camp at Paris Island, South Carolina. He saw active duty in the Marshall Islands in the Pacific Theater. After the war, he worked at Edgewood Arsenal as a turret lathe operator for two years. He transferred to the calibration department as an industrial inspector and calibration specialist until retirement. He was a jack of all trades, he built his own home, loved country music and playing the violin and guitar.

Mr. Spies is survived by his wife whom he married in 1948, Violet Jane Stanley Spies of Aberdeen, MD; son, Ronald Spies and wife, Brenda, of Florida; daughters, A. Joyce Spies of Aberdeen, MD and Cindy Alley and husband, Bob, of Forest Hill, MD; sisters, Evelyn DuBree of New Hampshire and Frances Szymanski of Aberdeen, MD; grandchildren, Angela Spies, Amanda Tejada and husband, Diego, Bryan Spies, Sarah Mayo, Jimmy Alley, Michelle and Jeremiah Johnson; and great grandchildren, Cameron, Makayla and Ethan Carpenter, Alisiana and Abigail Tejada, and Hannah Mayo.

In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his son, Gary Spies, brothers, George, Fred and Richard Spies and sisters, Anna Spies and Marie Heaps.