Staff Sgt Mark Alan Spence
Born: Dec. 11, 1982 in Buffalo, New York
Died: November 8, 2007 in Italy
Staff Sgt. Mark A. Spence of Buffalo, New York graduated from Clarence High School in 2001, completed a year’s study at the University at Buffalo, and then joined the Air Force in 2003. He continued his college studies while in the service, compiling a perfect 4.0 grade point average. He went from being the fastest runner in an elementary school track meet to competition with the cross country and football teams at Clarence High School. He expected to graduate soon from Park University with a degree in criminal justice. His maternal grandfather, Donald Rhoads, who died in January, helped design airplanes and led to Sgt. Spence’s enlistment. He was coming home in June and was going to take the New York State trooper’s exam. He wanted to become a detective in the State Police. Spence led a group of eight airmen whose job was calibrating avionic sensors on F16 fighter jets. He is survived by his wife; his parents and two brothers. He and his wife were expecting the couple’s first child in May 2008. Mark was also an avionic sensors team leader and also enjoyed photography and travel. He entered the service in 2003 and arrived on station Jan. 2004. He was 24. Amigone Funeral Home.
Air Force
31st Fighter Wing
Aviano Air Base, Italy
The Staff Sgt Mark Alan Spence by Freedom Remembered, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.
