Elton Spade

Elton (Sandy) Spade was born on Jan, 25, 1947 in Three Rivers, MI. He was raised by his loving family in Constantine. Together they attended Constantine United Methodist Church and he graduated from Constantine High School with the class of 1965. He joined the US Air Force serving enlisted during the Vietnam War as a jet mechanic from 1968 - 1971. Sandy married Jane Bush on July 28, 1969, they shared two daughters, Amy and Heather Spade.

Sandy spent his adult life seeking higher education and loved to learn new things. After his USAF service, he attended Kellogg Community College in Battle Creek. He then moved with his family to Kalamazoo where he attended Western Michigan University, graduated with a Masters in Social Work in 1978. During this time, he also worked third shift at Kalamazoo Postal Service, where he met his best friend for life, Melvin Miller.

Sandy joined the US Army in 1978. Over his 20-year military career, he rose to the rank of Major. He served with distinction, including Airborne qualification, 82nd Airborne Division, Ft. Bragg, N.C. and Air Assault while stationed with 101st Airborne Division, F.t Campbell, KY. As a Chief Social Work Officer, he provided compassionate support to countless soldiers and their families, both stateside and his two tours to Germany. He met the second love of his life, Dori Bolduc Spade during his first tour in Mainz, Germany. They were married in Clarksville, TN and share two additional daughters, Ashley and Jacqueline Spade.

After retiring from the military in 1994, Sandy continued his life of service as a Social worker in Elkhart, IN. Employers included Elkhart General Hospital, Mary Beck Elementary, and Renegade Industries.

In 2008, Sandy returned to the military world as a Government Service Worker(GS-13) primarily serving soldiers suffering PTSD at Ft. Hood, TX until his final retirement in 2015.

Sandy was an adventurer at heart. He found joy in water and snow skiing, bicycling, hiking, and golfing. He loved participating in Volksmarching, a German tradition that allowed him to explore the countryside with German friends he grew to love. His passion for outdoors and his family was evident in everything he did. He loved telling stories, was a huge sports fanatic, as an athlete and an avid fan of all Detroit Sports teams. His love for UM football was second to none. His commitment to his "New England daughters" was painfully shown by even attending Boston Red Sox games on rare occasion. Sandy will be remembered for his big smile, hearty laugh, and unwavering kindness. He had a deep love for helping others, a gift for making people feel at ease, and an adventurous spirit that never faded. His legacy lives on in the hearts of all who knew and loved him.

Survived are his four daughters and two sons-in-law, Amanda "Amy" (Dave) Hays, Heather Spade, Ashley Spade, and Jacqueline (Adrian Rognowski) Spade. He also has four grandchildren, Miranda (Tony) Miller, David (Amanda) Hays, Jr, Makayla Spade and Skyler Cunningham; and five great-grandsons Jack M, Liam H, Logan H, Cyrus M, and Adrian M. Other family members include his brother-in- law and dear friend, Chris Bush, cousins throughout the Michigan/ Ohio region, and his current wife, Deborah Spade. He was preceded in death by his beloved grandparents, Jesse and Blanche "Amy" Barr, his parents, Elton and Eleanor Spade, aunts and uncles including Sy Spade, Owen and Marion Barr, Bill and "Pete" Ivens, to name a few.

Sandy passed away in the true fashion of the lover he was on Valentine's Day, Feb 14, 2025, in the company of his daughters and granddaughters, along with the most loving staff possible at the Villa Healthcare Assisted Living Facility. Their compassion and devotion to him will never be forgotten. Relatives and friends will be received at Eley Funeral Home in Constantine on Wednesday from 3-5 pm, where a Celebration of Life will follow at 5:00 PM. Interment will full Military Honors will be Thursday at 11:00 AM at Constantine Township Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be directed to the Disabled American Veterans at www.dav.org, Cure Alzheimers Fund at www.curealz.org, or Komera at www.komera.org. Leave a message for his family at www.eleyfuneralhomes.com.