Obituary published on Legacy.com by Perfetti–Assalley Funeral Homes – Sorento on Jun. 27, 2025.
Brian K. Spensberger, 66, of Litchfield, Illinois, passed away on June 23, 2025, at his home surrounded by a loving family.
Brian was born on December 2,1958, in Hillsboro, Illinois, the son of Paul J. and Mary Kay (Havron) Spensberger. He married Judy McGill Clemons on May 26, 1978, they later divorced. He then married Catherine Lynn Grove, in Litchfield, Illinois, on October 10, 2010.
He was raised in Panama and graduated in 1977 from Hillsboro High School. He attended Lincoln Land College in Springfield, Illinois, and while there he took welding classes.
For 27 years, he worked in the industrial maintenance department at the Roller Derby Skate, he then worked, for 8 years, at Sunnyside Nursery in Troy, Illinois, and lastly, he worked for about 5 years, for Midwest Trailer Sales, from which he retired.
As an avid outdoorsman, Brian enjoyed being in nature, fishing, cabin life, and was respectful of animals. He enjoyed watching and participating in primitive Rendezvous events where people gather and recreate the lifestyles and traditions of early Americans. His family always thought he was born a century too late.
He was quite proud of his native American heritage and liked to hunt arrowheads and search out native American artifacts. He was also an amateur carpenter and had excellent woodworking skills and was known to carve many different types and style of toys. One of the things he was most proud of was his dedication to the Shoal Creek VFD. He started with the firefighters at the tender age of 15 and worked his way up to the second assistant chief position. He also had a passion for NASCAR and was an avid drag racing fan.
Preceding Brian in death is his father, Paul and his brother-in-law, Jim Adkisson.
Surviving Brian are children, Joseph Blake (Ronnie) Spensberger of Donnellson, Illinois, Jake (Heather) Spensberger of Coffeen, Illinois, Brandon (Ashley) Spensberger of Bismarck, Missouri; stepchildren, Alan (Tiffany) Grove of Mulberry, Florida, Dutch (Brandy) Grove of Sherman, Illinois, Tina (Mike) Ballard of Springfield, Illinois; grandchildren, Remi, Audrey, Dan, Wyatt (Becca), Cole, Dalton, Angel, Ryder, River, Miles, Autumn, Logan, Levi, Izzy, Lincoln, Delaney, Noah; great grandson, Kaid; siblings, Mary Beth Adkisson of Panama, Illinois, Paula (Sam Ouf) Kessinger of Allegan, Michigan, Sheri (Bryan) Hall of Pinckneyville, Illinois; and several nieces and nephews.
A private memorial service will be held in Panama, Illinois.
The family asks that memorials be gifted and mailed to the Endangered Wolf Center, 6750 Tyson Valley Road, Eureka, MO 63025 and/or
Wounded Warriors Project, PO Box 758525, Topeka KS 66675.
The family has entrusted Perfetti-Assalley Funeral Home in Sorento with the ceremony.