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In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar
SPICER, George - Sadly George lost his battle to lung cancer and passed peacefully at home surrounded by his wife and family. Born in Carvel, Alberta January 28, 1932 and was the 7th of 8 children. George leaves behind his most loving wife of 30 years Helen Chamberlain, and is survived by his three daughters Lorri (Jim) Baldwin, Valerie (Glenn) Chipper, and Leanne (Don) Ayres; grandchildren Tammy, Marty, Ryan, Kobie and Wendy; 10 great-grandchildren; his extended family, Sharon Hendrix, Susan (Bob) Fechter and Greg Chamberlain; grandchildren Ashley, Megan and Amy. He loved his family. He is predeceased by 3 sisters and 3 brothers and survived by his sister Vicki Gibson. George was a long-time member of the Men's Victoria Curling Club, the Royal Canadian Legion, The CPO Association and the Korean Veterans Association. He played on the Navy Softball team and coached for 2 years. He was an active member in the creation of the original Centennial swimming pool. George and Helen became snowbirds and travelled many happy years to Palm Springs, where George arranged weekly poker games, morning coffees and happy hours. They made many new friends. George joined the RCN Sept 1949 and did two tours of duty during the Korean War on the destroyer HMCS Cayuga 1950 and HMCS Crusader 1952. He continued to serve until retirement in 1980. George was honoured to serve his country. George and Helen revisited South Korea in 2014 and the people of South Korea acknowledged their appreciation, and honored him for his service. Many thanks to Dr. J. Jollymore and Collett. Flowers graciously declined and donations may be made to the Palliative Care Unit or Victoria Hospice. George ceased firing November 23 2018 at 20:23. Celebration of his life will be held at the Chief and Petty Officers Mess, 1575 Lyall Street Victoria BC December 03, 2018 from 1-4 PM.
George joined the Navy on 06 Sep 1949, trained at HMCS Cornwallis. In 1952, he took a Radar Controller course in the Gunnery School at HMCS Naden and later became a fire control technician. George served twice in Korea, on HMCS Cayuga in 1950 and HMCS Crusader in 1952, and completed a world cruise in 1964 on HMCS St. Laurent. He received the Korea Medal, the CVSM for Korea, the United Nations Service Medal for Korea and the Canadian Forces Decoration with two clasps. After retiring, he joined the Naval Reserves and enrolled in the CIC where he was commissioned to Lt (N). He retired after forty years of service with the Armed Forces. George belonged to the Pro Pats Legion Br 292 with 52 years as a member.
Ships served in: HMCS CAYUGA - Served in Cayuga during the 1950-1951 Korean war tour as an ABNQ HMCS CRUSADER - Served in Crusader during the 1952-1953 Korean war tour as an ABRCS HMCS ST LAURENT - Served in St Laurent during her 1964 World Cruise
(GS001) "Boy from Calgary, McKay", demonstrating some fancy lariat tricks - HMCS CAYUGA 1950-1951 (GS002) Moose Dempster checking the gun, HMCS CAYUGA 1950-1951 (GS003) Moose Dempster sleeping again, HMCS CAYUGA 1950-1951 (GS004) 4-inch gun crew closed up with ship's mascot Alice, HMCS CAYUGA 1950-1951 (GS005) ABNQ Moorse from Newfy, HMCS CAYUGA 1950-1951
(GS006) Liberty men going ashore, HMCS CAYUGA 1950-1951 (GS007) Landing barge in Sasebo Harbour, HMCS CAYUGA 1950-1951 (GS008) After 40mm Bofer AA gun, HMCS CAYUGA 1950-1951 (GS009) ABNQ Sterling with ship's mascot Alice, HMCS CAYUGA 1950-1951 (GS010) Japanese worker on the end of a crane in Kuri, Japan, HMCS CAYUGA 1950-1951
(GS011) (L-R) Don, Pat, Scott and Butterworth, HMCS CAYUGA 1950-1951 (GS012) ABLR F. Hughes building a model ship, HMCS CAYUGA 1950-1951 (GS013) Playing cards in the mess deck, HMCS CAYUGA 1950-1951 (GS014) Rough seas in the Yellow sea, HMCS CAYUGA 1950-1951 (GS015) ABAA Mckay and ABNQ Scott in the mess deck, HMCS CAYUGA 1950-1951
(GS016) Life in the mess deck, HMCS CAYUGA 1950-1951 (GS017) 4-inch gun loader, ABNQ Spicer, HMCS CAYUGA 1950-1951 (GS018) Liberty boat, Sasebo, Japan, 1950 (GS019) British Hospital Ship - Photo taken from HMCS CAYUGA 1950-1951 (GS020) ABAA Paul on watch, after Bofors, HMCS CAYUGA 1950-1951
(GS021) "It's cold!" - HMCS CAYUGA on patrol on the west coast of Korea. LSQR Rideout having a kye (GS022) ABAA McKay dumping the evening dishwater, HMCS CAYUGA 1950-1951 (GS023) (L-R) ABNQ William Doyle, ABNQ John Craig and ABNQ Watson, HMCS CAYUGA 1950-1951 (GS024) Playing cards on watch, "X" gun deck (GS025) US Admiral's barge with HMS Witherington D76 in the background, Sasebo, Japan
(GS026) ABNQ George Spicer with ship's mascot Alice, HMCS CAYUGA 1950 (GS027) "It's damn cold!" - ABNQ George Spicer, HMCS CAYUGA 1950 (GS028) Don and his buddy, Sasebo, Japan, HMCS CAYUGA, 1950 (GS029) ABNQ Holman, Korea, HMCS CAYUGA 1950-1951 (GS030) HMCS CAYUGA refueling from a British tanker in the Yellow Sea 1950-1951
(GS031) Red (North Korean) gun knocked out, Inchon, Korea, 1950-1951 (GS032) CAYUGA crew members check out a knocked out Russian tank, Inchon, Korea, 1950-1951 (GS033) Remains of destroyed factory at Inchon, Korea, 1950-1951 (GS034) Yank jeep at Inchon, Korea 1950-1951 (GS035) Church after bombardment, Inchon, Korea 1950-1951
(GS036) USS MISSOURI and USS SAINT PAUL, Sasebo, Japan 1950-1951 (GS037) Hiroshima, Japan 1950-1951 (GS038) Sasebo, Japan 1950-1951 (GS039) HMCS CAYUGA on patrol on the west coast of Korea 1950-1951 (GS040) ABNQ George Spicer holding a 4-inch shell, HMCS CAYUGA 1950-1951
(GS041) HMCS CAYUGA conducting depth charge training enroute to Pearl Harbour, Hawaii (GS042) Hulu dancers greet HMCS CAYUGA on arrival at Pearl Harbour - CAYUGA's last port of call before heading home to Esquimalt.
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