Spencer George Thompson

Spencer George Thompson, age 22, passed away suddenly on Friday, April 10 in Seattle. In his short life, Spencer had a tremendous impact through his kindness, compassion, and desire to see a better world. He admired and adored animals of all kinds, including his beloved dogs, polar bears, and especially octopuses. Spencer demonstrated enormous and unbounded compassion to people, and his sharp wit, sly sense of humor, wry, secretive smile, and beautiful, infectious laugh drew everyone in.

Spencer was born in Seattle and attended Garfield High School but left early to study marine biology at the University of Washington, spending a quarter abroad in Rome and one at Friday Harbor Labs on San Juan Island, both of which meant a great deal to him. He spent a summer as a riding instructor/counselor at Hidden Valley Camp where he worked with valued friends and co-workers bringing together young people and horses.

Spencer graduated from UW in June 2023 and one year later, he spent considerable time traveling in Thailand and across Europe, including stays at several Buddhist and Catholic monasteries. He returned home to the Pacific Northwest in the summer 2024 and began working at the Seattle Aquarium, a place that he fell in love with at a young age. This reflected his deep care and concern for the ocean and all of its inhabitants. Spencer could regale you with incredible information on a variety of marine-related topics and took immense pleasure in providing friends and family with tours of the aquarium. Recently, he completed a long-held ambition by earning his scuba diving certification that included several dives in the Puget Sound.

Games were an important part of his life and place where he connected with family and friends. Usually, he would beat us all on family board game nights. Spencer was introduced to Magic: The Gathering through his brother Miles, and it became more than just a hobby to him. He created decks and cubes with gusto and verve, from a very particular point of view, and he relished in teaching others how to play. Spencer also loved Dungeons & Dragons and served as our dungeon master for our family COVID-era online game. He was diligently working on new characters this spring. Spencer also loved the strategy behind Warhammer, another hobby he shared with family and friends. His online gaming with friends played an important role for him as a way to stay connected, and brought wonderful, new, and important friends into his circle. He also loved to get outside with his friends and enjoyed camping and hiking trips in nature with his buddies.

There was also an artistic and creative side to Spencer. He loved to play the piano and sing. He composed poetry, drew, and painted exquisite Japanese characters. He saw the beauty all around him, in the everyday moments, on his many walks, in his neighborhood or around the world. The stunning photographs he took are a window into his soul and reflect how he saw the divine in everything around him. His love for good, simple food was enhanced during his time in Italy and Thailand, and he took great joy in baking everything from bread to cookies, especially when he could share.

Like some many other aspects of Spencer, his interest in arts, culture, and history were both varied and very specific. Anime, manga, comics and graphic novels; musical theater and opera; knights, castles, and armor; Radiohead and Tom Waits; Roman and Renaissance architecture; Hugo, Cervantes, and Tolkien.

Spencer’s unbounded curiosity and intelligence manifested itself in his years-long spiritual quest that led him to his confirmation in the Catholic Church at Easter Vigil in 2025, and his faith brought him great joy. His active participation at his parish church, Immaculate Conception, the Cathedral of St. James, and at the Carmelite Monastery of Seattle reflected his commitment and love for this community of faith.

Spencer was beloved by those who knew him and he was unbelievably caring to those he met on the street. He will be missed deeply by his circle of friends and his community at Immaculate Conception. He joins his paternal grandfather, Lewis Thompson, and maternal grandmother, Marilyn Nickelsburg. He is survived by his extended family, including his uncle, Michael, his aunts, Valerie, JoAnne, and Tui, his cousins, Sam and Max and Wilkes, Christian, Jane Ireland and Stephen; his grandmother Sompit and grandfather George. His surviving immediate family, each with a giant hole in their hearts, includes his brother Miles, his father and step-mother, Phillip and Aimee, and his mother Jeanne.

We love you, Spencer, and you will be deeply missed. You had a beautiful soul.

Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Dona nobis pacem.

“The Wind that Spans the Sea”

Do I go on,
As I want me to?
I only need say no.
If I venture further
Vessels journey out alone.

By opal skies
Emerald algae bloom
I’m home a’gone
Again, I find
Eyes of cloudless blue.

The wind that spans the sea
Sails to foreign shores alike
The canvas –
Stuck with salt –
Glimmers golden light.

By Spencer George Thompson, Spring 2023

Please share your memories and photos of Spencer. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Seattle Aquarium or an environmental organization that you support. Services will take place later in the spring.