Gerald A. Spencer, 92, of Edmonds, died May 21, 2012. Gerry had been in remarkable health until stricken with cancer a year and a half ago. Gerry was born in Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada on March 27, 1920. He was the son of J.C. and Minnie Paton Spencer. Gerry enjoyed his youth in Truro skating on the marshes in the winter and playing Army with his friends in the ruins of Ft. Beausejour during the summer. He apprenticed as a machinist and industrial mechanic with his father and brothers in the Spencer Machine Shop and joined the North Nova Scotia Highlanders (militia) as a “Boy Soldier” at the age of 16. When the war in Europe was declared in 1939, Gerry was frozen in his job as a machinist but sneaked away with his friend Normy to join up with the “Novies” again to enter the war. He was considered one of the “originals” of the North Nova Scotia Highlanders and served the entire war heroically in the unit. Gerry was part of the Normandy Invasion on D-day in 1944 as a transport sergeant and dispatch rider. Gerry always loved the unit reunions and traveled to France twice to honor the unit’s memory. After the war Gerry settled in California and worked until retirement for Norton Industries. Gerry married Bee Foster in 1990 and gained an instant (and large) loving family. He was nicknamed “Pops” by the grandkids and was deeply loved...