Obituary of Dr. 'Bob' Spencer

Dr. L.R. Spencer: A Lion of a Man

On November 4th, 2017 at the grand age of 93, Dr. L.R. (Bob) Spencer MD kept his final appointment, with his loving family at his side. 

Born in London, England in 1924, young Bob had dreams to be an actor but his true calling was family medicine. Earning his MD at Cambridge post-WWII, Bob entered the RCAF and emigrated to Canada in the early 1950s with his newlywed wife, Joan Leech. Together, they built a bustling private practice out of their home in suburban Don Mills, where he became one of the true pioneers of family medicine in Ontario. Bob smoked a pipe, drove a Jaguar, and made housecalls. 

With a droll wit as sharp as any scalpel, he was adored by patients for his multidisciplinary and preventive brand of personalized medicine. Skeptical by nature, he was nevertheless an early adopter of healing modalities like Acupuncture, provided they worked for his patients. 

A sailor in his prime, Bob was a man of few hobbies unless you count spaghetti al dente, Coronation Street, mystery novels, dry martinis, hot soup, Savile Row suits, and anything with salt. He escaped to Rotary Club and the RCYC for leisure and loved ’76 Trombones’ from ‘The Music Man’ by Rodgers & Hammerstein. 

In home life, Bob valued his privacy, loathed the phone, and loved wife Joan’s gourmet cooking in a marriage that endured for 66-years. He may never have become an actor, but Bob’s private practice gave him all the stage he needed for the role of a lifetime.

Bob is survived by his 93-year old wife Joan, sons Martin (Cora) and Tony (Troy), as well as grandchildren, Carmina and Benjamin.

A Celebration of the Doctor’s remarkable life will be held on the 18th of November at Rosedale Presbyterian Church (129 Mount Pleasant Road, Toronto) at 11:00 A.M. for family, old friends, and former patients.

The Spencers welcome you to read more about our family history here on this site and view some terrific photos of the Doctor in his prime.  

We especially welcome your own personal thoughts, comments, and remembrances.

Uniquely entrusted to eco Cremation & Burial Services Inc.

Life Celebrations. Done Differently.