Erwin Spenst
Erwin Spenst was born in 1924 in Grand Forks, N.D., to Helen Brunk Klouser and John Klouser. His given name was Richard Sylvester Brunk Klouser. He was later adopted along with his sister, Magdalene (Maggie Toavs), by George and Mary Spenst and his name was changed to Erwin Spenst.
Erwin Spenst was a loving husband, father, brother, grandfather and uncle. He entered fully into the presence of the Lord on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, in Sun City, Ariz., at the age of 97.
Erwin was a WWII veteran and served in the Pacific aboard an aircraft carrier, the USS OMMANEY BAY. It was hit by a Kamikaze suicide plane in 1944 and subsequently sank, but Erwin was able to jump from the aircraft carrier and survive. He also helped save other's lives that day. During this time, he was married to Gloria Hearth and, to this union, was born Joni Spenst Roberts and Diane Spenst Olsen.
After the war, Erwin had a very successful career working for NASA on the Titan and Gemini space programs in Cape Canaveral, Fla.
He married Terry Spackman and, to this union, was born Richard Spenst.
After his military and NASA careers, Erwin decided to move to Oregon and become a cattle rancher. He was elected president of the Farm Bureau for Douglas County in 1970. In 1976, he was elected as the director of the Soil and Water Conservation District for the State of Oregon and the president of the Douglas County Livestock Association.
Erwin decided to move to Wolf Point to be closer to his sister, Maggie, and his birth mother, Helen. He used his skills to work as a ranch hand for many local farmers and ranchers.
In 1991, he dedicated his life to the Lord.
He married Ruth Toavs Woolridge in 1993. Erwin and Ruth moved to Condon in western Montana. There, Erwin led the effort to build the first church in that area of the Rocky Mountains. The church was constructed with volunteer labor, and Ruth contributed by serving daily lunch to the workers.
In 2004, Erwin and Ruth moved to Sun City, Ariz., and joined the Sun City Church of the Nazarene where Erwin served as an usher. He was a humble man and always greeted people with a smile.
Erwin is survived by his wife, Ruth; a brother, Art Spenst; and three children, Joni Roberts, Diane Olson and husband Alan and Rick Spenst. In addition, Erwin is survived by stepchildren, Wayne Woolridge and wife Cindy and Tami Sherrard and husband Roy. Erwin and Ruth share 18 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his birth mother, Helen Klouser; his birth father, John Klouser; his parents, George and Mary Spenst; his sister, Maggie (Martin Toavs); his brother, Ralph (Lois Spenst); and his sister-in-law, Pauline Spenst.
He had a veteran's burial with full military honors and has been laid to rest in Phoenix at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona.
(Paid Obituary)
