James R. Spahr, 75

April 11, 2025

James R. Spahr, 75, of Strasburg, son of Bob and Naomi Spahr of Lititz, passed away on April 11, 2025, at Lancaster General Hospital. Born in Lancaster, Jim, or Harv to his family and friends, attended West Chester University from 1968-1972, where he met his wife of more than fifty years, Judy Westley. After college, they farmed his family’s land until 1982, when he joined Pennfield Feeds as a salesman. He worked there until he retired in 2006 after developing Parkinson’s disease in the late 1990s.

Jim spent the years since attending car shows with his father, cruising with the Delaware Valley Oldsmobile club, traveling to Alaska, Croatia, Greece, Great Britain, and Italy, taking part in bike-riding fundraisers for Parkinson’s research with the Michael J. Fox Foundation every year in Maine, spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchild, and eating ice cream.

A lot of ice cream.

A lifelong pacifist, Jim lived his belief in peace and kindness, as a gentle, easy-going soul wherever he went. He truly practiced what he preached, and was admired by those who knew him, especially in the face of his disease and the challenges it created.

Besides his wife, Judy, he is survived by his sister, Joanne (Spahr) Welsh, wife to Donald Welsh, his niece Rachel Welsh, his nephew James Welsh, husband to Sarah (McKee) Welsh and their children Callum and Everett, his two sons, Jeremy, husband to Lara, and Chris, husband to Shannon, five grandchildren, Jordan, husband to Maci, Laiken, Ashton, Treson, and Jonathan, and great-granddaughter Emersyn.

A private gathering will be held for close friends and family later this summer. Donations in his honor can be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which focuses on Parkinson’s research, at www.michaeljfox.org.