Obituary of Rex D. Spicer

Dr. Rev. Rex D. Spicer, 81, of Solon, died Tuesday, November 8, 2016, at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City. Funeral services will be held at 10 am Saturday, November 12, 2016, at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Iowa City, with burial at the Oakland Cemetery in Solon. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 pm Friday at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service. In lieu of flowers a memorial fund has been established in Rex’s memory. For a more complete obituary, an opportunity to share a memory, thought or condolence please go to the funeral home website @ www.gayandciha.com. Rex Dickinson Spicer was born January 10, 1935, in Baltimore, MD, the son of Rixy and Ellen (Spielman) Spicer. Following high school he attended and received his BS degree from the University of Maryland, then degrees from the following in the years to come: Valpariso University, Colgate College and his seminary degree from Concordia Seminary in Springfield, IL. During and between his years of college he also served in the United States Air Force. Following seminary he began his career in the Lutheran Church by serving the St. John’s Lutheran Church M.S. in Fenton, IA from 1963 through 1986. He later took a position as Professor of Fieldwork at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. He served in a counseling capacity for Lutheran Family Services for the State of Iowa, and served as coordinator for various agencies of the area during the 1993 flood. He worked with the Iowa City Crisis Center, especially dedicating many hours to the crisis line. He worked for the University of Iowa doing research in the Psychology Dept. in Alcohol & Addiction Studies. His last position before retirement was serving as Assistant to the Pastor at Christ The King Lutheran Church in Iowa City. Rex enjoyed many things in his life: photography, Lionel Trains, any and all trains. He was a lifelong animal lover. At the present time he was working on 5 different books. Most of all he loved being Dad and Grandpa! He actually was a counselor all of his life, and it mostly was a non-paying job. He helped many people through the difficulties of their lives, and is remembered with love and respect by these and so many others. His family includes his wife, Alice; children, Rexanne June Spicer, Jeffrey Hunter Spicer (Eric), Nina Elizabeth Spicer, Katherine Suzanne Spicer, Rex St. John Spicer (Jennifer), and Amy Dickinson Spicer; grandchildren Nathaniel, Janelle, Katrina, Grant, Holly, and Violet; siblings, Marian Kalmbach, Ray Spicer (Ruth), Kathy Spicer and Arthur Spicer. He was preceded in death by his parents and his son Scott.