Audrey Illa Spencer, 81, of Bismarck, ND passed away surrounded by her loving family on April 24, 2023. Funeral services will be on Monday, May 1, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. at Bismarck Funeral Home. The service will be livestreamed on the Bismarck Funeral Home website. Visitation will be on Sunday, from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the Bismarck Funeral Home.
Audrey was born on June 26, 1941, to Theodore and Illa Hagerott in Bismarck, ND. Audrey grew up on the family farm in Morton County with her sister Carol and attended country school, then Mandan High School. After graduating from Mandan High in 1959, she attended North Dakota State University, before transferring to Concordia College, graduating in 1963. After graduation, Audrey held a variety of secretarial positions, working the majority of her career in medical settings until her retirement in 2006.
In 1970, Audrey met the love of her life, Darrel, through a young Christian’s organization and got married six months later on May 22, 1971, at First Lutheran Church in Mandan. Audrey and Darrel settled in Bismarck and had their first child, Arik in 1976, and their second child, David in 1980.
Audrey dedicated her life to service. She was a long-time member of a variety of organizations, including the Beta Sigma Phi sorority, achieving the distinction of torchbearer for her 56 years of service. She was a charter member of the Prairie Rose Lions Club, becoming a Melvin Jones recipient. She was also a life member of the Friends of the Library, and a member of the Bismarck Mandan Gem and Mineralogical Society and the North Dakota Pottery Collectors Society.
While Audrey enjoyed serving others, she loved being a mother, grandmother, and wife. She especially liked going on adventures, doing art projects, and seeing her three grandchildren grow and thrive. Audrey and Darrel also enjoyed spending time with friends and family, gardening, exploring North Dakota, reading, collecting, and spending time with each other. Audrey was known for her attention to detail and thoughtfulness. We will miss her greatly.
Audrey was preceded in death by her parents, Ted and Illa Hagerott, her sister Carol Hanson, and her infant son David. She is survived by her husband Darrel, her son Arik, daughter-in-law Wendy, and three grandchildren, Christian, Kasie, and Arin.
In lieu of flowers, the family prefers donations or memorials to the Bismarck Library Foundation.