Doctor fondly remembered

Colleagues and friends of the late Dr. Michael Spence are establishing a loving and lasting memorial in his honor by purchasing an engraved brick for the Memorial Garden Wall at Kalispell Regional Medical Center. 

Spence died Dec. 25, 2012, at his home in Lakeside due to a pulmonary embolism. He was 73.

As his obituary stated, Spence dedicated his life to practicing and teaching medicine and public health. 

After moving to Kalispell in 1997, he served as the chief medical officer for the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, then as medical liaison for quality management at Kalispell Regional Medical Center until his death.

In his early years, Spence served in the Army at Walter Reed in Washington, D.C. He later taught medicine at Johns Hopkins University, where he received his master’s degree in public health, and at Hahnemann University School of Medicine in Philadelphia. He also created a scholarship program for medical students at New Mexico State University where he received his Doctor of Medicine in 1968.

 An infectious disease specialist, Spence established an HIV and AIDS clinic in Philadelphia. He also worked with the poor in Africa, Vietnam and around the world. 

Shari Courser, infection preventionist at Kalispell Regional, had worked with and been mentored by Spence. She describes him as “brilliant.” 

“He made so many contributions to KRMC and the community,” Courser said. Spence’s expertise in infectious diseases and complicated infections was highly respected by the staff. He taught extensively about bacteria and viruses and worked hard to push forward the mandatory influenza vaccine program for employees that was recently put in place.

Courser said Spence was a marathon runner and volunteered with the local Rails to Trails organization. 

He was also a passionate hiker and founded the Flathead Outdoor Club a number of years ago. The club hosts monthly programs September through March featuring guest speakers sharing photos and stories of their adventures around the world.

Member Leah Levitt met Spence when he asked her to do a slide presentation for the group on one of her hikes. One summer, Levitt hiked with him and a small group, traversing the challenging 93-mile north-to-south route in Glacier National Park along the Continental Divide in sections, some of which required backpacking.

“I fell in love with backpacking [after that] and it is my favorite thing to do in the summer now,” Levitt said. “For that I am forever grateful for meeting Mike.”

At the time of his death, Spence had been flying back and forth from Johns Hopkins University to see a specialist after being diagnosed with possible pancreatic cancer.

The Memorial Garden Wall at Kalispell Regional is tucked into an outdoor courtyard near the coffee shop — a peaceful place dappled with sunlight where Spence’s former colleagues can take a break outside the hubbub of the hospital and remember their gifted and giving friend.

Community editor Carol Marino may be reached at 758-4440 or by email at community@dailyinterlake.com.