Holly Spencer
1957-11-28 2024-01-07
Holly Spencer, 66, Executive Director of the Eugene-Springfield Youth Orchestra (ESYO) died on January 7, 2024 after a long battle with lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. She leaves behind her two beloved children, Lewis and Bailey Gilmore, as well as many friends, colleagues and family who will all miss her dearly.
Holly Jo was born in Jackson, Michigan on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1957. She grew up the fourth of 7 children of Richard and Mima Spencer, and shared many adventures and much laughter with her 3 brothers and 3 sisters. After a few moves the family settled in Urbana, Illinois where Holly remembered as she described it, an “idyllic” childhood.
In 5th grade Holly picked up a clarinet and fell in love with music. After graduating from Urbana High School in 1975, she majored in clarinet performance at the University of Illinois. From then on she played clarinet wherever she lived.
After college, she accompanied her sister Crissan to Burundi where she developed her love of photography, adventure, and wild animals. Upon her return, she met and married a fellow high school alumnus, Dan Gilmore. The pair headed for the Pacific Northwest where they eventually settled in Eugene.
The children they made together provided Holly abundant joy. Son Lewis is a clarinetist in the Presidents’ Own Marine Band in Washington DC, and daughter Bailey, of Eugene, works supporting prisoners’ reentry into society and is passionate about protecting the environment.
Holly made and treasured friends throughout her life, from Leal elementary school in Urbana to the community of Emerald St. neighbors to the entire ESYO family and Oregon’s music community.
Professionally, Holly spent 35 years working for non-profit causes, from Pacific Rivers Council helping support salmon preservation, to grant writing for Womenspace, (now the Hope and Safety Alliance) and finally the Eugene Springfield Youth Orchestras. She believed deeply in ESYO’s mission and was passionate about music and music education.
Holly relished many things in life. She adored the color red, strong coffee, word games and Halloween. Conversation. The Pacific Ocean. Possibilities. Children. Nature and animals big and small. But mostly, she loved people. Her greatest strength was how she made everyone feel special.
Her death created a painful void in all of us left without her. Her easy laugh, huge smile, bright colors and her incredible warmth will be forever cherished in memory.
Holly is survived by too many friends to count; her children, her ex-husband Dan, and all of her siblings and their families: Crissan Zeigler of Portland, OR; Kevin Spencer of Chicago, IL; Kim Roberts of Seattle, WA; Peter Spencer of Portland, OR; Lisa McKinney of North Plains, OR; and Michael Spencer of Ellsworth, ME.
Holly Jo was born in Jackson, Michigan on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1957. She grew up the fourth of 7 children of Richard and Mima Spencer, and shared many adventures and much laughter with her 3 brothers and 3 sisters. After a few moves the family settled in Urbana, Illinois where Holly remembered as she described it, an “idyllic” childhood.
In 5th grade Holly picked up a clarinet and fell in love with music. After graduating from Urbana High School in 1975, she majored in clarinet performance at the University of Illinois. From then on she played clarinet wherever she lived.
After college, she accompanied her sister Crissan to Burundi where she developed her love of photography, adventure, and wild animals. Upon her return, she met and married a fellow high school alumnus, Dan Gilmore. The pair headed for the Pacific Northwest where they eventually settled in Eugene.
The children they made together provided Holly abundant joy. Son Lewis is a clarinetist in the Presidents’ Own Marine Band in Washington DC, and daughter Bailey, of Eugene, works supporting prisoners’ reentry into society and is passionate about protecting the environment.
Holly made and treasured friends throughout her life, from Leal elementary school in Urbana to the community of Emerald St. neighbors to the entire ESYO family and Oregon’s music community.
Professionally, Holly spent 35 years working for non-profit causes, from Pacific Rivers Council helping support salmon preservation, to grant writing for Womenspace, (now the Hope and Safety Alliance) and finally the Eugene Springfield Youth Orchestras. She believed deeply in ESYO’s mission and was passionate about music and music education.
Holly relished many things in life. She adored the color red, strong coffee, word games and Halloween. Conversation. The Pacific Ocean. Possibilities. Children. Nature and animals big and small. But mostly, she loved people. Her greatest strength was how she made everyone feel special.
Her death created a painful void in all of us left without her. Her easy laugh, huge smile, bright colors and her incredible warmth will be forever cherished in memory.
Holly is survived by too many friends to count; her children, her ex-husband Dan, and all of her siblings and their families: Crissan Zeigler of Portland, OR; Kevin Spencer of Chicago, IL; Kim Roberts of Seattle, WA; Peter Spencer of Portland, OR; Lisa McKinney of North Plains, OR; and Michael Spencer of Ellsworth, ME.