Windsor, VT – Nettie E. (Merrill) Spencer, 93, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 8, 2020 at her home in Windsor, VT.

Nettie was born August 5, 1927  in Anson, Maine, the eldest of six children of Maurice and Bernice (Wells) Merrill. The family moved to Windsor when Nettie was nine and when they returned to Maine seven years later,  Nettie remained in Windsor to finish school. She met the love of her life, Stephen M. Spencer, while they attended Windsor High School and they were married on November 2, 1946. Stephen predeceased her last year, a few months after they celebrated their 72 ^nd Wedding Anniversary. During the Korean War, Stephen was called back into service with the US Navy: this time of separation helped cement Nettie's view of sacrifice and to value the time spent with loved ones.

Along with raising her four children, working full time at the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. for nearly 40 years, Nettie was an active member of the Rachel S. Harlow United Methodist Church and its United Methodist Women chapter: teaching Sunday School, organizing and cooking church suppers. She was also a member of the  Mt. Ascutney Hospital Auxiliary and the PTA.

After retirement in 1986, Nettie and Stephen traveled extensively, mostly in their motor home, including a 13,000 mile road trip to Alaska. They visited all fifty US states, nearly all of the Canadian provinces, and enjoyed a trip to London and Paris with family. They spent winters in Punta Gorda, Florida for over 25 years where they were active at Friendship Methodist Church. In more recent years, summers were spent at Two Rivers Campground in Skowhegan, Maine where they were treated as family. They were especially grateful for the love and assistance they received from their communities outside Vermont that helped to make it possible for them to extend their camping years.

Nettie loved to cook and garden. From pizza parties when her children were young, to company picnics, Christmas gift boxes, church suppers, group breakfasts, high teas, catering parties  – her pies and donuts were legendary, particularly the family favorite Chocolate Strata pie. The Campground family in Maine contributed to provide a "full size" outdoor kitchen for her to keep them supplied with pies, pickles and other baked goodies. Her gardens were beautiful, as were her house plants. Nettie took tremendous pride in decorating her home, especially for the holidays.  She loved her pets: dogs and cats were always a part of her family and many of them logged thousands of miles traveling the country.

She is survived by her daughters, Linda Spencer Bania and husband Joseph of Center Rutland, VT, Nancy Spencer of Wachapreague, VA, and Marilyn Rabtoy and partner Darrel Willey of Windsor; a son Stephen Maurice Spencer and his wife Karen Halverson of Essex Jct., VT; grandchildren, Elizabeth, Joseph, Sean, Christopher, Sarah, and Phoebe; six great grandchildren, her sister Arlene Davis of New Vineyard Maine, a brother-in-law David Spencer of Windsor, 2 sisters-in-law, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and many dear friends. Nettie was predeceased by her siblings Blanche Higgins, Harris Merrill, Edward Merrill, and Sandra Dexter.

Due to the Covid Pandemic, services will be held later in the springtime. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the American Cancer Society in honor of Nettie's family members who battled cancer.

Condolences may be expressed to her family in an online guestbook at www.knightfuneralhomes.com

The Knight Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements.