BEAVERS, Marion Spencer (Spence)

The White Mountain Independent, Show Low, Arizona ~ 11/23/2012 Rev. Marion Spencer (Spence) Beavers died Nov. 14. 2012. Spence was born July 14, 1943 in El Dorado, Ark. to Marion and Margaret Beavers. They later moved to California, where Spence was treated for his childhood polio. He persevered through a long recovery and graduated from Vacaville High School in 1961. After working at several odd jobs out of high school, he was hired as a shipping clerk at American Home Foods in Vacaville. He remained in their employment until he was 27. At age 29, he entered an apprenticeship program to learn the plumbing trade. It took five years. He completed his training and received his certificate of completion May 7, 1978. At the same time, he had been attending Delaney College in Sacramento, Calif., working towards a degree in mathematics. Spence met Linda Grider in 1979. Her car had run out of gas on her way home from work and he helped her. They started dating and were later married June 27, 1980. Neither Spence or Linda were saved at that time, however, they felt moved by the Spirit to attend church. Then, on Easter Sunday 1980, while in the service at an Assembly of God church in St. Helen, Calif,, they both came to saving faith in Christ. Spence was 37 years old. After this, Spence began to diligently study the Berean Bible courses. God moved on them, and they started the Christian Aid Rescue Mission in Vallejo, Calif. Spence did the preaching and together they managed the mission. Because of conflict with the city, they got locked out of their building, so, they continued to minister on the street. They finally gave the mission over to another Christian man, and they went to minister Glad Tidings Church of God in Vallejo. Shortly after this, in 1984, Spence and Linda were called to plant a church in Williams. They had to start from scratch and since the small congregation didn’t have a piano player, Spence taught himself to play the piano. Spence had to start a plumbing business in Williams to pay the bills. They called it Beavers’ Plumbing and Heating. At that time, he went ahead and got his preaching license and was ordained in the Pentecostal Church of God. The church grew and the Beavers knew much joy and satisfaction there. They also raised their children, Shana and Jeremiah. Then in 1995, they left Williams so that Spence could finish a years trade work in California to get vested in his pension. While ministering in Williams, the Beavers had worked to plant a church in Heber. They had driven back and forth on weekends between Williams and Heber for one year. The church came open in 1996 and called Spence to be their pastor. The Beavers family moved to Heber and they served Grace Community Church for seven years, until Spence had to retire because of ill health in 2003. They moved to Show Low in 2005 where they continued to serve in local churches and to study and prove themselves “doers of the Word.” Spence had an active and full life. He loved the Word of God and he was a study of prophecy, but most important, he loved his family and wanted their best. He leaves behind his wife of 32 years, Linda; children: daughters, Angel Beavers of Little River, Calif., and her children Melody and Christian, Dina Vigil of Benicia, Calif., and her children: Ty, Travis and Sydney, Shana Horne of Lakeside, Calif., and her daughter Robyn, son Jeremiah (Crystal) Beavers, and their daughters Whitney and Skyla. Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1, at the White Mountain Life Church, 451 N. 18th Place in Show Low (behind Big O Tires.