By: Jody Allen
SAS Corresponding Secretary
Joseph S. Spence, Sr. was born in St. Andrews, Jamaica, West Indies and attended high school there. His brother, a CPA in NYC, allowed him to relocate where he graduated (1980) from the University of Maryland with a Business Management degree and simultaneously from Howard University (Washington DC) a degree in Military Science. In 1984, he graduated from Webster University (St. Louis) with a Masters in management as well and has attended numerous Army training schools and MATC (Teacher’s Education). He has also taught Military science at Marquette University's ROTC program. He currently is a student majoring in English Literature, Creative Writing, and Poetry at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. His studies have included African Diaspora, Japanese linguistics, and Poetry where he has invented ("Epulaeryu," "God's Dynamic Steps," "Seventh Heaven," and "Linking Pin Sonnet") poetry forms.
Joseph is a retired U.S. Army Special Operations Worldwide Deployment Officer after serving 26 years. His most interesting job was serving as an executive officer for Headquarters Company, First Battalion 505th Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division, Worldwide Rapid Deployment Force, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. “It was ex-citing because I had to convince senior military officers to follow my guidance.” It is through his military service that he has been able to travel the world having served in Israel, Egypt, Panama, twice in Germany and Korea. His tours in Germany were special because he worked with individuals from different countries employed by the Department of Defense and met various German dignitaries, including General Erwin Rommel's (Desert Fox) grandson Manfred Rommel, then mayor for Stuttgart, Germany. He even served in the same unit with Jesse Owen’s (1936 Olympian) grandson.
Joseph joined the society after attending a book program at UWM resulting in one of his professors asking about his about his ancestry & invited him to attend one of our society’s meetings where he recognized some of our members and he joined. He has been a member since 2009 and has attended both in-person and virtual events. As to his Scottish ancestry his paternal grandfather came to Jamaica from Scotland settling in Mandeville, Jamaica. After visiting Perth, Scotland, while stationed in Germany, he searched his ancestral roots, and found that the Spence clan merged with the McDuff clan.
His writing accomplishments are many and varied reflecting both his life experiences in the military and his love of poetry, where he continues to serve others that love. He has authored over 200 scholarly peer-reviewed articles in various genres as well has authored ten inspirational poetry books which include:
"A Trilogy of Poetry, Prose, and Thoughts for the Mind, Body, and Soul" (2004)
"Trilogy Moments for the Mind, Body, and Soul" (2006), winning the Best Christian Poetry Award
"The Awakened One Poetics," 2nd place, Critters Writers Workshop Best Author's Pool
"Sincerely Speaking Spiritually" (Feb. 2020)
In June 2021, he entered the "Local Veterans 2021 Creative Arts Competition," held at Zablocki Veterans Hospital, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and in October 2021 he learned his work earned him the following honors:
“Paradise My Sweetest Love" - won 3rd place in the poetry category
"Women's Professional Struggle" - won 2nd place in the fictional category
“Erythra Thalassa (Red Sea)" - won 1st place in the non-fictional category, based on his tour of duty in the Middle East (North Africa)
Joseph currently lives in Milwaukee where he is a member of the YMCA, supports the Veterans of Foreign Wars (Life), the National Disabled Veteran (Life), the American Legion (Life), numerous university honor societies, the NAACP (Life), services an advisor to the World Parliament of English Literature and the World Global Literary Society and is a member of the Milwaukee Robert Burns Scottish Bard Club.