John Eliot Spofford, 94, of Boston passed away peacefully on January 27, with family by his side.
John was born in Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts on September 15, 1931, the second of two children of Harry H.R. Spofford and Hildur Dahl Spofford.
John attended Wellesley High School and The Roxbury Latin School in Boston. He had fond memories of his time at Roxbury Latin and valued the education he received there. He entered Harvard in the class of 1954. His education was interrupted by service in the Korean War in the Army Medical Service as a Senior Medical Technician and ambulance driver.
Soon after graduation from Harvard in 1955 John began a career with the Claim Department of New England Mutual Life Insurance Company. An acknowledged expert in the fields of Life and Health Claims, he was frequently called upon to represent his employer in claim litigation throughout the country. He retired as a Claim Officer in 1996.
John was a member of the Harvard Club of Boston, The Faculty Club, the Boston Athenaeum, and the New England Claim Association. He was also a delegate to the International Claim Association.
He closely followed the Boston sports scene and was not wild about those “other” teams from New York.
He was a great supporter of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
John was a smart, generous, kind and thoughtful man. Family and friends were important to him. He never lost his sparkling wit or his crystal-clear memory. Just prior to his death John enthusiastically read a 600-page history of China! Up to his final days he loved recounting detailed events from his childhood in Wellesley and humorous stories about his lovable (and sometimes quirky) aunts and uncles.
Huncle, as he was affectionately called by some of his family, is survived by his nephew David Hall and wife Becky of Salt Lake City, Utah; niece Betsy Hall Nordell and husband Larry of Helena, Montana; and niece Suzy Hall Hoberecht and husband Kim of Bozeman, Montana. Also, grandniece Anna Nordell Baker and husband Corey; grandnephew Adam Nordell and wife Johanna Davis; grandniece Sarah Hall Ilgenfritz and husband Elliott; grandnephew Brooks Hall; grandniece Anzhela Hoberecht; and grandnephew Arman Hoberecht. And from the next generation: great-grand nieces Aven Baker, Ruby Baker, and Finley Ilgenfritz, as well as great-grandnephews Cedar Baker, Eli Ilgenfritz, and Caleb Nordell. He was predeceased by his sister Ann Spofford Hall.
According to John’s wishes, he has been cremated, and his ashes will be spread in his niece Betsy’s apple orchard in Montana.
The family sends heartfelt thanks to Dr. Herbert Lin and Dr. Wendy Landry; to Doug Warren, Yali Velazquez and all the staff at Susan Bailis Assisted Living; and to Monique Robinson and her staff at Always Best Care. Lastly, utmost gratitude to Poppy Psinakis Patterson, John’s devoted friend of 47 years.
May John’s Memory Be Eternal.
In lieu of flowers a donation may be made to Massachusetts Audubon Society.
A celebration of John’s life will be held at Casper Funeral Home, 187 Dorchester St., Boston on Thursday, February 19 from 1-3 PM.