Amanda Carolyn Spencer

Amanda Carolyn Spencer, age 33, passed away on Monday, 21 October 2024 surrounded by her family and one of her three dogs at her home in Verona, WI.

Born on July 17, 1991 in Madison, WI, Amanda attended Verona Area High School where she graduated in the top ten of her class in 2009. In addition to excelling in academics, Amanda participated in a number of extracurricular activities. She was a top ranked discus thrower in the state of Wisconsin, played cello in the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra, captained the school’s Science Olympiad Team, earned the rank of second-degree black belt in karate, and participated in Food Drive, FFA, Math Team and more. Amanda was the only National Merit scholarship winner in her graduating class and was also an All-State Scholar and a Kohl Fellowship winner.

 Despite the best efforts of the MIT track coach to recruit Amanda to come to his school (she was the best thrower in the country that year with the grades to get in to the elite school he said), Amanda chose to attend Washington University in St. Louis for college. In five years, she earned undergraduate degrees in biomedical and electrical engineering in addition to a master’s degree in electrical engineering. During her time in college, her research pertained to brain/computer interfacing. She also worked in the university’s conservation library.

 Following graduation, Amanda moved to Stafford Virginia to begin working for the Department of Defense as a civilian engineer for the Marine Corps Systems Command at Quantico Base where she worked on many projects that no one else in her family has the security clearance to know about. While in Virginia, she found great joy in caring for animals as a volunteer with the SPCA. She also enjoyed showing her family around the D.C. area when the came for visits including hiking parts of the Appalachian Trail, kayaking through the wild horses in Chincoteague, and stopping by the many museums and historical sites in the city. Her work took her for several months to Charleston, South Carolina which turned out to be Amanda’s favorite city in the country.

 After receiving a brain tumor diagnosis in 2016, Amanda moved back to Wisconsin for treatment at UW Madison hospital. Her first craniotomy was successful, and Amanda was back on her feet in no time. Following her recovery, Amanda took a new job as an electrical engineer at the Verona based company Extreme Engineering Solutions (X-ES). In Madison Amanda began fostering and adopting dogs. She adopted her first dog Artemis (Artie) in 2016 followed by Athena in 2018 and Electra (who was a foster fail) in 2023. She fostered seven additional dogs and worked with several local animal rescue groups.

 A life-long learner, Amanda continued to take classes in a wide number of subjects at both Madison College and UW-Madison including interior design, woodworking, landscaping, history, CAD, and writing. She completed a Capstone in computer science at UW-Madison in 2022. Amanda was also an avid reader especially books in the fantasy, sci-fi, and historical fiction genres and had aspirations of becoming an author herself. She was working on three novels and was involved in a local writing group. She also loved watching TV and had the uncanny ability to tell you every movie and tv show an actor had ever been in- like a walking, talking IMDB. Amanda was also a talented visual artist and enjoyed drawing and painting.

 Amanda enjoyed traveling and took many trips across the globe with her family. Most recently, she visited the U.K. this past Spring stopping in England, Scotland, and Wales. She also travelled to Greece and Italy in the past few years. Domestically, she took trips to Hawaii, Key West, Orlando, Philadelphia, Chicago, St. Louis and more.

 When her tumor returned in July 2023, Amanda faced a grueling year that included two brain surgeries, multiple rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, and experimental treatments. Despite the hardships, Amanda faced her prognosis bravely and never once complained. Even as the tumor began to cause her to experience severe aphasia and loss of mobility, Amanda’s compassion and sense of humor never diminished. Amanda will be remembered for her quiet resolve, her love of animals, her incredible intellect and her abundance of kindness.

 Amanda is survived by her parents Tim and Donna (Wruck) Spencer, sister Alannah Spencer and brother-in-law Andrew Baldwin in addition to multiple grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins and many, many friends. She was preceded in death by grandmothers Carol Seaman and Bonnie Wruck.

 A Celebration of Life for Amanda will be held at the Verona Area Community Theater building 103 Lincoln St. in Verona on Saturday, 2 November from 3:00-5:00 PM with a service beginning at 3:30 PM. Attendants are asked to come dressed in Marvel/DC comics, Disney’s Stitch, or dragon attire or anything blue which was her favorite color.

 In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to one of the three dog rescues Amanda was involved with- Puppers to Love http://www.pupperstolove.org, ARVSS  https://www.paypal.me/arvss , and Ma, Paws, & Me https://www.mapawsmepetrescue.com/donate - or to the Henry Vilas Zoo https://henryvilaszoo.doubleknot.com/registration/donate.aspx?activitykey=3028182 where Amanda loved to go to watch the otters.

 Amanda’s family would like to thank the numerous doctors, nurses, therapists and staff on Amanda’s care team at UW Madison hospital, Agrace hospice, and the many friends and neighbors who stepped up to help in Amanda’s final months especially Kathy Johnson.