Long-time San Juan Bautista resident
Mervin “Spots” Spotswood, one of the “grand old men” of San Juan Bautista, died Saturday, Nov. 30, 2002 at Hazel Hawkins Northside Convalescent Hospital. He was 97.
Mr. Spotswood was born in Petaluma and had lived in San Juan Bautista for 48 years. He was involved all his life in training horses for racing. In Petaluma he worked for the Chris Beck Ranch and after moving to San Juan in 1954 he worked for the Arthur Nyland Ranch.
He drove the stagecoach for the San Juan Rodeo and the Fiesta Parade and was Grand Marshal of the San Juan Historical Parade. For many years he played Santa Claus in the city and was a member of the Liar’s Bench Group, a group of San Juan men who tried to out-do each other with “whoppers” while seated on the bench on Third St. His family said Mr. Spotswood had a great sense of humor and enjoyed playing practical jokes on his friends. He was known as an avid history buff and a great story-teller. He was a member of Old Mission San Juan Bautista.
He is survived by his daughter and her husband, Beverly Ann and Jerry Crawford of Reno; a nephew, three grandchildren, five great-grandchildren three great-great-grandchildren and his long-time friends, Angela Castro and Juanita Garcia, who helped care for him.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Leonor, in 1999.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Grunnagle-Ament-Nelson Funeral Home. The family will be at the funeral home between 6 and 7 p.m. to greet friends.
Family and friends will leave the funeral home Thursday at 9:30 a.m. for a Mass at Old Mission San Juan Bautista at 10 a.m. Burial and graveside services will follow at San Juan District Cemetery.
Memorials are preferred to the Luck Library Children’s Division Fund in care of the funeral home.
