Allen Spaulding

2/14/50-11/21/21 Allen (Al) Wesley Spaulding, age 71, of Mancelona, after a short battle with cancer, has left his earthly loved ones behind and joined those that left before him.

Allen was born in Caro Michigan on Valentine’s Day in 1950 to Wesley J. and Eleanor Joyce (Birdsall) Spaulding. Al married his wife, Katherine (Troyer), in 1984. Counting the two years they were together before their marriage, they had 39 years of many happy memories together.

Al was a man of many trades and talents. He worked as a truck driver and in construction. His greatest accomplishment was building the home from ‘the blueprints in his head’, that his family enjoyed for 35 years before selling it to downsize, ‘for our retirement years’.

Al enjoyed NASCAR, looking at old cars, Harleys and watching Jeopardy. He was a member of the TRIBE Motorcycle Club and MCM for 34 years.

Al was not a man of change, wasn’t a fan of technology, and would only buy ‘American made’. He always believed everything should stay the way it was in the ‘old days’, and there were only two ways of doing things; his way or the wrong way. Those that knew him will be smiling at this.

Allen was preceded in death by his father Wesley J. Spaulding, mother E. Joyce Perry and step-father Ronald ‘Jack’ Perry, and several other close friends and family members, including a number of ‘fur babies’.

Al is survived by his wife Kathy, his sisters Cynthia, Lori and Leslie, his children Darlene, Christine, Lisa and Ronald, step-daughters Kristina, Nicki and Darcy, and their combined families; which include 23 Grandchildren and 11 Great-grandchildren. Additionally; many club brothers and sisters, nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, and some terrific friends. All that were close to him loved him dearly and will miss him tremendously.

He is also survived and missed greatly by his dogs, Star and Reba, whom he affectionately called ‘ My girls’.

Al was known by many names: Son, Brother, Husband, Brother-in-law, Father (Dad), Pa, Grandpa Al, Uncle Al, ‘Big Oak Tree’ by his closest crew of friends, Big Al and ‘Dogman’ by his brothers of The TRIBE Motorcycle Club and the MCM.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, November 26th at the Mancelona Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes with interment in Westwood Cemetery, Rapid River Township. Visitation will take place from 11 a.m. until the time of service.

There will also be a memorial taking place in the summer of 2022; date, place and time to be determined at a later date.

Remember all the laughter we shared with him, throughout his earthbound years. He’s flying high above us now, in the wind and shifting gears.

Arrangements have been handled by the Mancelona Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes.  Please sign his online guestbook www.mortensenfuneralhomes.com.