David Spooner Obituary

Rev. Dr. David T. Spooner

The Rev. Dr. David T. Spooner, 87, died Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022.

He was born and raised in Fostoria and was the only child of Henry K. and Helen M. (Fruth) Spooner. He married Janis M. (Conley) on Sept. 2, 1956, and she preceded him in death Aug. 26, 2017.

They were the parents of three children, Dr. Jeffrey D. Spooner (deceased Jan. 19, 2010) and his spouse, Dr. Pamela J. (Summers) Spooner, Jennifer D. Zolman (spouse Tony, deceased Aug. 23, 2008), and Julie D. Werner (spouse Gary, deceased March 4, 2022). They are the grandparents of four granddaughters, Jodi (Werner) Litvinov (spouse, Mike), Kate (Spooner) Zurkowski (spouse, Pawel), Emily (Spooner) Wassilak (spouse, Dan), and Ellen (Spooner) Dinsdale (spouse, Trevor). They are the great-grandparents of, Mia Litvinov, Maci Litvinov, Teddy Zurkowski, Tommy Zurkowski, Baylor Wassilak, and Collier Wassilak.

David graduated from Fostoria High School in 1953 and received the Bausch and Lomb Honorary Science Award. He graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio, in 1957, with a B.A. degree. He was a member of Air Force R.O.T.C., The Concert Band, Delta Tau Delta Fraternity, Pi Delta Epsilon, and Circle K. He graduated from Eden Theological Seminary, Webster Groves, Missouri, in 1960, with a B.D. degree. Following his ordination, he was called Sept. 4, 1960, to serve as Associate Pastor of Philippus United Church of Christ in Cincinnati. Then, from Nov. 1, 1961, until he retired in 1997, he was called to serve as Director of Hospital Missions in Greater St. Louis for United Church of Christ. He is a Board Certified Professional Hospital Chaplain and received F.C.C. Fellow Status at College of Chaplains in 1963.

While serving in that capacity, he received many honors from St. Louis City Hospital's Medical Staff, St. Louis City Hospital School of Nursing, United Church of Christ, Eden Theological Seminary, United Church of Christ Health and Welfare Counsel Washington University, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Regional Medical Center, Missouri State Senate, Who's Who in the Midwest, and was honored to have the City of St. Louis name a day in his honor, "The Dr. David T. Spooner Day." A scholarship has been established at Eden Seminary in his name. He earned a D. Min. degree from Eden Seminary in 1973. In 1982, he established a private counseling service. He is an Eagle Scout, Scout Silver Beaver, has been recognized as an Outstanding Eagle Scout, and holds the Boy Scouts of America's National Heroism Award.

He is a life-time member of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity, Pi Delta Epsilon Honorary Journalism Fraternity, an Emeritus Member of the American Protestant Hospital Chaplain's Association, an Emeritus Board Member of P.R.A.Y. Publishing, Member of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), a Mayflower descendant, an ordained United Church of Christ clergy, and member of St. Johns Evangelical United Church of Christ, Melville, Missouri. He was a helpful professional chaplain and counselor who loved his family.

The outdoors was his world. He slept over two of his years in a tent and paddled a canoe several hundred miles! He had a good life! He will be missed.