When asked how long he’s been on the Cemetery Commission, Jack Spero said he doesn’t know for sure, but his wife, Mary, probably does. “Maybe 12 or 15 years?” he guesses. Try 20.
Twenty years ago Spero was elected as cemetery commissioner, replacing Jim Farley. He joined Bruce Dolimount (commissioner since 1992) and has since served with Ken Mudgett, Whit Sprague, and current commissioner Ted Maxant.
Jack Spero. (Photos by Lisa Aciukewicz)
“All good things come to an end,” said Spero, commenting with irony on his own departure. He chose to step down to give someone else a chance, and he was surprised to learn of the race between John Lee and Hank Fitek for his spot. “They’re both great,” said Spero.
Not one for committee work, Spero is a contradiction of sorts. Not only a longtime member of the commission and its chairman for several terms, he also served three years on the Board of Health with Tom Philippou and Lorin Johnson. “I told them,” he said while drinking black coffee and leaning forward to answer interview questions on the second floor of the General Store, “I’m only keeping the seat warm.”
A longtime volunteer and active with the Lions Club for more than 15 years, Spero explained, “In the old days, it was a privilege to help the town out. You wanted to give back.” Just last winter, Spero was part of a team of volunteers who replaced most of the windows at Hildreth House, saving the town thousands of dollars.
History in town
In the late 1960s Spero bought land in Harvard for $8,000 and built the house he and his wife still live in on Deerfoot Trail. “I’d pick up my bride in Concord and we’d work on the house,” he said. This was the start of his house-building business after being trained as an engineer and working in the field for many years.
“I’ve known Jack most of the time I’ve lived in Harvard,” said former selectman Ron Ricci. “He’s a good guy, and he tries to do the right thing for everybody.”
Ricci told the story about the time Spero built a house for Rick Feldt, CEO of Evergreen Solar. Feldt’s wife wanted to reduce costs by subcontracting out the landscaping. Feldt asked Spero how much they would save. “About $200,” said Jack. “Just $200?” Feldt asked, disbelieving. “Well, Rick, that’s about how much I was going to charge you to throw some grass seed around the building,” said Spero. Ricci laughed as he recalled the story.
Spero’s background includes graduating from Massachusetts Maritime Academy in 1961 and shipping out as a merchant mariner for two years. He earned his degree in marine engineering and naval architecture from the University of Michigan, started work as an engineer for a shipyard in Quincy, and later worked for Stone & Webster in Boston. “I was getting stuck in engineering. I couldn’t stand it,” said Spero. “I wanted something more creative, more rewarding.” He paid $20,000 for his house in Harvard and continued as a successful house builder.
On being a cemetery commissioner
Spero was as practical-minded and amicable in his role as cemetery commissioner as he was with clients in the house-building business. Recently, Spero received a call from the son of a Harvard man asking, “Hey, is there any more room in the family plot?” “Yeah,” said Spero, “plenty of room.”
Jack Spero shows off his 1936 Ford Coupe in last year’s Fourth of July parade.
Requiring understanding and sensitivity, the job as a cemetery commissioner involves working with people who are often emotionally vulnerable. Current commissioner Dolimount describes it this way: “It’s a ‘compassion’ job. Some don’t care, they just want a plot. Others take a few days deciding—they ask about the view, where the sun comes up … ” He paused, then added, “It’s an emotional thing, in many different ways.”
Sometimes callers would reach Spero by phone at the Bellevue Cemetery office and ask about family members buried there. Spero was helpful—especially for those with ties to Harvard—and would look through Bellevue Cemetery’s card catalog, which goes back to 1893. There is a human touch in the fact that the cemetery still uses a 19th-century card catalog system instead of a computer database.
Shaker Cemetery a challenge
Among the most challenging projects that Spero is proud of are the restoration of the Shaker Cemetery’s “lollipop” burial markers and the removal of several very large pine trees there, and the paving at Bellevue Cemetery.
In the case of the Shaker Cemetery, the Shaker marker repair project had been gradually funded by an $100 adopt-a-marker public outreach effort. Forty of the markers were restored this way. After an enormous pine tree—felled by Hurricane Sandy in 2012—crushed several burial markers, the Cemetery Commission covered the costs of repairing damaged markers and powder coating the remaining 192 markers. The tree’s fall also prompted the commission to bid out and pay for the removal of seven other massive pines.
The future
Spero appreciates Harvard. He is a regular at the Fourth of July parade, driving his “Washington” blue 1936 Ford coupe in the parade for the past 20 years. His 10-year-old grandson, Joshua, enjoys throwing candy from its rumble seat.
Reflecting on his 20 years as a cemetery commissioner, Spero repeats himself, clearly enjoying the moment: “All good things come to an end!”
