Joseph Spencer’s life began the way many stories from Sequoyah County once did – simply, humbly and surrounded by the forces of nature. Born on May 3, 1943, in Bird Flat north of Marble City, Spencer entered the world at home in a log house with a dirt floor, during what locals still remember as the biggest flood the county ever saw. Roads were washed out, his father was overseas fighting in the war and life from the very beginning required grit.
As the oldest of five children, Spencer learned responsibility early. That responsibility became even more real in 1956 when his father was electrocuted while they were putting in a water well. His mother pulled him off the line but he only lived a few hours after that; a loss that shaped Spencer’s life from that day forward.
Still, Spencer kept moving forward, something he has done for more than eight decades.
After graduating high school in Cleveland, Okla., Spencer joined the U.S. Army National Guard at only 17-yearsold. Though his service took place during peacetime, it left a lasting mark.
“It taught me discipline,” he said. “And it showed me the world was bigger than what I knew.”
Those lessons stayed with him long after his uniform no longer fit.
But if there is one word that defines Spencer’s life, it might be “adventure.”
In the late 1960s, while living in Livingston, N.M., Spencer became a cave explorer. A passion that would quite literally leave his name etched into history. Small in stature and fearless by nature, Spencer could squeeze through tight passageways that others couldn’t. That skill earned him a permanent place in Carlsbad Caverns, where a narrow passage is officially known as “Spencer Squeeze.” He also helped discover multiple new caves within the park; a rare and remarkable legacy.
“It was exciting,” he recalled, his words understated for a moment that few ever experience.
For more than 57 years, Spencer worked in the oil field, following the boom wherever it led him. His work took him across several states, and his children attended schools in four different states as the family moved along with opportunity. He finally retired at the age of 77; proof that hard work, for him, was never something to rush away from.
Family remains at the heart of Spencer’s life. He is the proud father of four children, all of whom live within 20 miles of him today. He also has nine grandchildren and a growing number of greatgrandchildren. Though his wife passed away five years ago, she once served the community as Marble City’s postmistress. Spencer remains surrounded by love, memories and the steady presence of family.
Now, Spencer lives where he has always dreamed of being, along the banks of Sallisaw Creek. The creek has long held a special place in his heart and today he calls it home. Spencer lives in a cabin near Dwight Mission, which puts him close to the creek and the life he has always wanted.
“Just because you’re older doesn’t mean you’re done living,” Spencer said. “Being old is a privilege. Most people never get the chance.”
His advice for younger generations is simple, but heartfelt.
“Pay attention. Put the phone down. Talk to people. Learn how to connect. It doesn’t cost anything,” he said, “but it can mean everything later in life.”
Above all else, Spencer is grateful for his family, for his health, and for another day waking up along the creek he loves.
“Every day is the first day of the rest of your life,” he said.
And Spencer has lived every one of his days with curiosity, humility and a quiet appreciation for the journey. From a dirt-floor log house to a hidden passage deep beneath the earth, and finally, home along Sallisaw Creek.
