JOHN T. SPELMAN
John T. Spelman, much-honored superintendent of Golden Gate National Cemetery for 15 years, died in a Daly City hospital Tuesday. He was 65.
Mr. Spelman, who was injured in the Italian campaign in World War II, had received plaques from many organizations in the Bay Area and elsewhere for the efficient and gracious manner in which he handled the delicate task of conducting several military burials daily at major national cemeteries.
More than 90,000 people are buried at Golden Gate.
His awards included one for "unselfish efforts" from the American Legion, another from the Veterans of Foreign Wars and a certificate of outstanding career achievement from the Veterans Administration for his 37 years' service.
A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., he graduated from P.S. No. 8 and attended business college on Long Island.
He worked as a clerk in the Empire State Building before enlisting in the Army in World War II. He fought in North Africa and Italy, where he was severely injured in a train wreck. His condition was so precarious that he was given last rites three times.
While recovering, he met and eventually married Ida Maldari, of Bari, Italy. It was while he was planning to deal with the American dead in Italy that he started his career as cemetery superintendent. His first post was in charge of the one-acre national cemetery at Hopewell, VA.
He supervised Beverly National Cemetery, Beverly, N.J., before coming to San Bruno. He retired three years ago.
Besides his wife, Mr. Spelman leaves his sons Robert, San Jose, and James, Atherton; daughters Gemma, Menlo Park, and Vivian, San Bruno; a brother, Joseph, Florida, and sisters Katherine and Ronnie, New York.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be at noon today at St. Veronica's Catholic Church, South San Francisco. Interment will be at Golden Gate National Cemetery.
Donations to the UC Medical Center of Seton Medical Center are preferred.
Published in The San Francisco Examiner on July 7, 1983
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Mother's Maiden Name: Brennan
John T. Spelman, much-honored superintendent of Golden Gate National Cemetery for 15 years, died in a Daly City hospital Tuesday. He was 65.
Mr. Spelman, who was injured in the Italian campaign in World War II, had received plaques from many organizations in the Bay Area and elsewhere for the efficient and gracious manner in which he handled the delicate task of conducting several military burials daily at major national cemeteries.
More than 90,000 people are buried at Golden Gate.
His awards included one for "unselfish efforts" from the American Legion, another from the Veterans of Foreign Wars and a certificate of outstanding career achievement from the Veterans Administration for his 37 years' service.
A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., he graduated from P.S. No. 8 and attended business college on Long Island.
He worked as a clerk in the Empire State Building before enlisting in the Army in World War II. He fought in North Africa and Italy, where he was severely injured in a train wreck. His condition was so precarious that he was given last rites three times.
While recovering, he met and eventually married Ida Maldari, of Bari, Italy. It was while he was planning to deal with the American dead in Italy that he started his career as cemetery superintendent. His first post was in charge of the one-acre national cemetery at Hopewell, VA.
He supervised Beverly National Cemetery, Beverly, N.J., before coming to San Bruno. He retired three years ago.
Besides his wife, Mr. Spelman leaves his sons Robert, San Jose, and James, Atherton; daughters Gemma, Menlo Park, and Vivian, San Bruno; a brother, Joseph, Florida, and sisters Katherine and Ronnie, New York.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be at noon today at St. Veronica's Catholic Church, South San Francisco. Interment will be at Golden Gate National Cemetery.
Donations to the UC Medical Center of Seton Medical Center are preferred.
Published in The San Francisco Examiner on July 7, 1983
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Mother's Maiden Name: Brennan
JOHN T. SPELMAN
John T. Spelman, much-honored superintendent of Golden Gate National Cemetery for 15 years, died in a Daly City hospital Tuesday. He was 65.
Mr. Spelman, who was injured in the Italian campaign in World War II, had received plaques from many organizations in the Bay Area and elsewhere for the efficient and gracious manner in which he handled the delicate task of conducting several military burials daily at major national cemeteries.
More than 90,000 people are buried at Golden Gate.
His awards included one for "unselfish efforts" from the American Legion, another from the Veterans of Foreign Wars and a certificate of outstanding career achievement from the Veterans Administration for his 37 years' service.
A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., he graduated from P.S. No. 8 and attended business college on Long Island.
He worked as a clerk in the Empire State Building before enlisting in the Army in World War II. He fought in North Africa and Italy, where he was severely injured in a train wreck. His condition was so precarious that he was given last rites three times.
While recovering, he met and eventually married Ida Maldari, of Bari, Italy. It was while he was planning to deal with the American dead in Italy that he started his career as cemetery superintendent. His first post was in charge of the one-acre national cemetery at Hopewell, VA.
He supervised Beverly National Cemetery, Beverly, N.J., before coming to San Bruno. He retired three years ago.
Besides his wife, Mr. Spelman leaves his sons Robert, San Jose, and James, Atherton; daughters Gemma, Menlo Park, and Vivian, San Bruno; a brother, Joseph, Florida, and sisters Katherine and Ronnie, New York.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be at noon today at St. Veronica's Catholic Church, South San Francisco. Interment will be at Golden Gate National Cemetery.
Donations to the UC Medical Center of Seton Medical Center are preferred.
Published in The San Francisco Examiner on July 7, 1983
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mother's Maiden Name: Brennan
John T. Spelman, much-honored superintendent of Golden Gate National Cemetery for 15 years, died in a Daly City hospital Tuesday. He was 65.
Mr. Spelman, who was injured in the Italian campaign in World War II, had received plaques from many organizations in the Bay Area and elsewhere for the efficient and gracious manner in which he handled the delicate task of conducting several military burials daily at major national cemeteries.
More than 90,000 people are buried at Golden Gate.
His awards included one for "unselfish efforts" from the American Legion, another from the Veterans of Foreign Wars and a certificate of outstanding career achievement from the Veterans Administration for his 37 years' service.
A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., he graduated from P.S. No. 8 and attended business college on Long Island.
He worked as a clerk in the Empire State Building before enlisting in the Army in World War II. He fought in North Africa and Italy, where he was severely injured in a train wreck. His condition was so precarious that he was given last rites three times.
While recovering, he met and eventually married Ida Maldari, of Bari, Italy. It was while he was planning to deal with the American dead in Italy that he started his career as cemetery superintendent. His first post was in charge of the one-acre national cemetery at Hopewell, VA.
He supervised Beverly National Cemetery, Beverly, N.J., before coming to San Bruno. He retired three years ago.
Besides his wife, Mr. Spelman leaves his sons Robert, San Jose, and James, Atherton; daughters Gemma, Menlo Park, and Vivian, San Bruno; a brother, Joseph, Florida, and sisters Katherine and Ronnie, New York.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be at noon today at St. Veronica's Catholic Church, South San Francisco. Interment will be at Golden Gate National Cemetery.
Donations to the UC Medical Center of Seton Medical Center are preferred.
Published in The San Francisco Examiner on July 7, 1983
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Mother's Maiden Name: Brennan
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JOHN T
SPELMAN
SSGT
US ARMY
WORLD WAR II
NOV 20 1917
JUL 5 1983
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