Spencer
H.
Smith Jr.

SPENCER H. SMITH JR. was born on October 6, 1914 in Camden, NJ to Catherine and Spencer H. Smith Sr.  The Smiths were living at 753 Walnut Street in South Camden when the 1914 City Directory was compiled. His father had joined the Camden Fire Department on May 1, 1914, and was assigned to the Number 1 Engine Company at 407-409 Pine Street in South Camden. At the time of the 1920 census, Spencer and Catherine Smith were renting a home at 1017 Atlantic Avenue in Camden. By this time, the family included eight children, Addie, Annie, Earl, Marion, Clara, Spencer Jr., Walter, and Robert. Later that year in 1920 Spencer H. Smith Sr. was assigned to Engine Company Number 10 at 9th Street and Morgan Boulevard in the Fairview section of Camden. By 1924 Spencer Smith Sr. had moved his family to 3022 North Constitution Road in the then new Yorkship Village neighborhood of Camden. Fire Department records from 1931 show Spencer Smth Sr. and family residing at 1190 Congress Road in Fairview.

Spencer H. Smith Jr. joined the Camden Fire Department on October 14, 1942. He is not listed separately from his father in the 1943 Coty Directory. The 1947 Directory has him at 3306 Winthrop Road in Camden. 

Spencer H. Smith Jr. would serve for 29 years before retiring on April 1, 1971. His father, Spencer H. Smith Sr. applied for his pension in July of 1950, a mandatory retirement at 65 law having been passed covering police and firemen. The elder Smith's last day on the fire department was August 31, 1950, when he retired along with Deputy Chief Clarence T. Madden Sr., Firemen John B. "Shorty" Prucella, and Fireman Frank L'Esperance. 

Spencer Smith Jr.'s brother Earl, a Navy veteran of World War II would join the Camden Fire Department around 1950. Sadly, Earl Smith would suffer a fatal heart attack after returning from a working fire, making the Ultimate Sacrifice in April of 1968.

During his time in with the Camden Fire Department, Spencer Smith Jr. was instrumental, along with Ernest Tartaglia, in putting together a union to represent Camden's fire fighters, the Firemen's Mutual Benevolent Association of Camden. He served two terms as President of the State Firemen's Mutual Benevolent Association. He also served as a member of the New Jersey State Police and Fire Pension Commission for 52 years, and was chairperson as late as 2004. He also was a Labor Liaison Officer for the City of Camden for 25 years, and was elected to the City of Camden's Board of Education, where he served one term.

Socially, Spencer Smith Jr. was a member of the Independent Citizens Athletic Club (I.C.A.C.) of Fairview, a member of the Police and Fire Retired Men's Club of South Jersey and the AARP.

Spencer Smith Jr. was married to Marie Stewart. They had one child, Spencer H. Smith III, who served with both the Camden Fire Department and the Camden Police Department from 1962 to 1995, retiring as a detective. When Spencer Smith Jr.'s nephew, Larry Smith retired from the Camden Fire Department in 2016, the Spencer Smith family has served the City of Camden without interruption for over 102 years.

Spencer H. Smith Jr., last a resident of Oaklyn NJ, died at the age of 91 on March 5, 2005. He was predeceased by his wife Marie, and son Spencer Smith III, who had passed in June of the previous year. He was survived by his grandson, Spencer H. Smith IV. 

Camden Courier-Post * May 22, 1953

May A. Jones
John J. Horn
Eugene E. Wales
Harry R. Janice
Spencer Smith Jr.
Bernard E. McNulty
John M. McCloskey

Camden Courier-Post
March 3, 1958

Whitman Avenue
Thomas J. Carr Sr.
John K. Voll
Harrison Pike
Joseph Gfrorer
Arthur C. Batten
Winfield D. Leviseur
Joseph Ballinghoff
John E. Moore
Howard Brickner
Joseph Dmochowski
Leon Puszczykowski
Ernest Tartagalia
Spencer Smith Jr.
George Bowen
Bruce A. Wallace

Camden Courier-Post
November 28, 1963

Maurice F. O'Brien
Spencer Smith Jr.
Edwin S. Wirtz
John Moore
John Gaffney
Fairview Court
Kenney's

Camden Courier-Post
June 10, 1964

FIRE EQUIPMENT HAS CHANGED in Camden but the Smith family carries on into the third generation. Spencer Haines Smith III (left) and his father Spencer H. Smith Jr., examine picture if the old coal-burner the latter once drove. Young Smith was sworn in today as a member of the city fire bureau. The late Spencer H. Smith Sr. joined the department in 1914.

Earl Smith - Eutaw Avenue - Ernest Fagan - 35th Street - Truman F. Maples 

Camden Courier-Post * September 8, 1967

Spencer Smith Jr. - John T. Odorisio - Jack Yeager - Jack Dease
Leo Tompkins Jr. - Leon Puszczykowski - Alfred R. Pierce -  Keith Kauffman

Camden Courier-Post * September 20, 1968

...continued...

James R. Asher - Harold Melleby - Spencer Smith Jr. - Leon Puszczykowski
Elizabeth Hawk - Alfred R. Pierce -  John Marini

SMITH, Spencer H., Jr.
On March 5, 2005, of Collingswood, after living most of his life in Fairview, NJ, age 90.
Beloved husband of Marie E. (nee Stewart). Dear father of the late Spencer H. Smith, III. Loving grandfather of Spencer H. Smith IV, Shauna Simone (Ken) and great grandfather of Tyler. He is also survived by his brother in law Charles Stewart, 2 wonderful nieces Amy Petello and Fay Smith, several other nieces and nephews and his best friend 'Kitty Cat'.
Mr. Smith was a member of the Camden Fire Dept. for 29 years, served as Police and Fire Pension Commissioner for the State of NJ for 52 years, was a 2 term President of the State FMBA and a member of the Police and Fire Retired Mens Club of S.J.
Mr. Smith was also a Labor Liaison Officer for the City of Camden for 25 years, a 1 term City of Camden School Board Member, a member of ICAC of Fairview and the AARP. A private Memorial Mass was held at Transfiguration RC Church, Collingswood. In lieu of flowers the family has requested memorial donations be made to the Animal Welfare Assoc. 509 Centennial Blvd., Voorhees, NJ 08043. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the CRERAN FUNERAL HOME, Oaklyn, NJ.