| Graduation Year | Class of 1974 |
| Date of Passing | Jun 07, 2009 |
| About | Spencer Prokop - writer, actor, comedian, husband and father - passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, June 7th, 2009. He never, never gave up, and his strength and determination in the face of cancer were remarkable. Spencer was born on August 1, 1957 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point in 1978 and went on to a career as a professional actor, performing at the Fireside Theatre in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. Spencer moved to Dallas in 1980 to attend Trinity University’s graduate study program at Dallas Theatre Center. A gifted performer, Spencer played numerous theatrical roles including Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady at Granbury Opera House, multiple roles in All in the Timing at Circle Theatre, Robert Law in Boy Meets Girl at Addison Centre Theatre, Orgon in Tartuffe at Pegasus Theatre and, as a Meadows Foundation Guest Artist, performed the role of Creon in Antigone at West Texas A&M University. He was selected in 1990 to study at the Royal National Theater in London. In 1997, Spencer received a Dallas Theater Critics’ Forum award for his role as Bernard Nightingale in Arcadia at Theatre Three. He may best be remembered by area theatergoers as Lt. Foster in a number of the popular Black and White productions at Pegasus Theatre. He was a founding member of Lone Star Comedy, appearing with and serving as an instructor for that improvisational and sketch comedy group for several years. Represented for 20 years by the Mary Collins Agency, Spencer was extremely active in print, voiceover and commercial projects and his work may still be seen in many films and television shows such as Robocop, Necessary Roughness and several episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger. An award-winning writer, he created corporate scripts, internet and broadcast pieces and entertainment projects. Spencer especially treasured his work for FUNimation crafting English language scripts for Japanese anime series and he contributed to several FUNimation projects including One Piece, Trinity Blood, Beck and Darker Than Black. A longtime member of Maria Kannon Zen Center, Spencer found great peace and comfort in his Zen meditation practice. Spencer was married to his beloved wife Patty Lewis for 21 years. Despite his many other accolades, his proudest accomplishment was their son Chase. A devoted father, Spencer made his son his priority, staying home to take care of Chase. Their bond was exceptionally strong and Spencer’s legacy can clearly be seen in Chase’s humor, intelligence and kindness. In addition to his wife and son, Spencer is survived by his mother Mary Ann Link, father Harry Gene Prokop, brothers Jeff and Andy Prokop and sister Kim Hagmann, sister-in-laws Janet and Ina Prokop, nieces Hayley Hagmann, Jordan Prokop, Amber Leone and Erica Mittelstrass, nephews Eric Hagmann and Jacob Prokop; great nephew Domanik Maresch and a very large and loving community of friends who supported him and his family before, during and after his illness. A private inurnment service will take place at Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery. A public Celebration of Life will be held at Theatre Three in Dallas, Texas on Monday, June 22, 2009 at 1:00 pm with reception following. Family requests no flowers or plants, please. Memorial tributes may be sent to either The Nature Conservancy or Lakewood Montessori School. |
