John Lee Spicher

John was born Sept. 12, 1935, in Belleville, Pennsylvania, the second child of Jonas Phillip and Rachel Ann (Yoder) Spicher. He grew up on a dairy farm during the Great Depression and attended Cedar Hill, a one-room country school. From childhood, he was intrigued with God’s creation, curious about how things function and what his role in the process should be. Frugality, hard work, integrity, acceptance of evolving conditions, and respect for others are among the values he learned from his Amish parents.

John met Virginia Joy Peachey in seventh grade; they married 12 years later and reared three children in Irwin, Pennsylvania. John strove and advocated for education despite the distances it sometimes placed between him and his background, which he nonetheless respected. He graduated from Belleville Mennonite School, received a BS in Biology from Eastern Mennonite College, and attended the Medical College of Virginia. A certified American Society of Safety Engineers member, he enjoyed a 30-year career at the Research and Development Division of the Westinghouse Electric Corporation in Pittsburgh. On retirement, he earned an MA in Organizational Leadership from Geneva College, and for 13 years worked in various roles in the Science Center at Eastern Mennonite University.

John deeply appreciated the Mennonite Church, and for many years drove 50 miles round-trip each week for worship and fellowship with congregations in Pittsburgh, and later in Scottdale. Service afforded him meaningful opportunities to exercise the abilities he believed God had given him, and he enjoyed sharing time and resources with organizations such as Scottdale Mennonite Credit Union, Laurelville Retreat Center, Allegheny Mennonite Conference, Eastern Mennonite University, and Harrisonburg Gift and Thrift. He especially liked working at Laurelville in support of youth camping. He sought adventures, learning, and travel for as long as he could, and treasured trips to the Atlantic shore with his family.

He is survived by Virginia Joy (Peachey) Spicher, his wife of nearly 65 years; children, James (Carol Burkhart) Spicher, Mountville, PA; Julia Spicher Kasdorf (Philip Ruth), Bellefonte, PA; and Jefferson (Jean Leaman) Spicher of Albany, OR; brother, David (Effie Yoder) Spicher, of Belleville; sister, Salome (Charles) Yoder, Mount Morris, MI; sister, Rachel (Lee) Hershberger, Whittier, NC; brother, Thomas (Sharon Peachey) Spicher, Huntingdon. John and Virginia’s grandchildren are Jonathan (Jenny Hochstetler) Spicher, Klamath Falls, OR; Jason (Krista Nyce) Spicher, Fort Collins, CO; Amelia Kasdorf, Bellefonte; Daniel Spicher, Denver, CO; and Ethan Spicher, Harrisonburg, VA.

John was preceded in death by brother, Kore Spicher, in 1940; mother, Rachel Ann (Yoder) Spicher, 1948; father, Jonas Phillip Spicher, 1977; and stepmother, Bertha (Peachey) Sharp, 1990.

A Memorial Service will be held at Landisville Mennonite Church, 3320 Bowman Road, Landisville, PA 17538 on Monday, July 29, 2024, at 11 a.m. with an opportunity to visit with the family for an hour beforehand. A private burial will take place at the Locust Grove Cemetery in Belleville, Pennsylvania.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Eastern Mennonite University, 1200 Park Road, Harrisonburg, VA 22802 in John’s memory.

The family wishes to express gratitude to Hospice & Community Care.

Please visit John’s Memorial Page at www.TheGroffs.com.