LeRoy, son of Roy Glen Spencer and Rose Mary Spencer, nee Dysthe, was born on a farm outside of Chandler, Minnesota. He graduated from Chandler High School and immediately enlisted in the United States Army.
After he was discharged, he moved with his family to Highland Park, California. In 1949 he married Helen Eggerud. Together, they had four children — Terry, Robert, LeaAnn and Gary
After their divorce, he met and married Eloise Tetrick in 1978. With his new wife came a new member to LeRoy's family — Eloise's daughter, Shannon. They settled in the hills of Whittier, California.
He began work at the Los Angeles Times in 1948, where he would spend the next forty-three years of his life as an employee. He retired in 1991 as Superintendent of the Composing Department.
LeRoy is survived by his wife, Eloise, his brother, James, his sister, Karen, his children, Terry, Robert, LeaAnn, Gary and Shannon, his grandchildren Michelle, Darius, Joshua, Jared, Kasia, Justin, Matthew, Michael, Christopher and Steven, his great-grandchildren, Christopher, Jennifer, Nathan, Jullian, Jonah, Shannon and Aiden.