The Union community is mourning the death of Lance Spallholz ’69, whose career as an instructor and lab manager in computer science spanned nearly three decades. Spallholz, who lived in Round Lake, died July 16, 2024, after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 76.
At Union, Spallholz majored in biology with a minor in chemistry. After receiving his master’s degree in education from the College of St. Rose, he spent 16 years teaching science in area high schools before returning to his alma mater in 1983 as an adjunct instructor in computer science. While continuing to teach, he was hired full-time as manager of the department’s laboratory in 1985. In 2003, he became computer systems manager for engineering and computer science. He retired from Union in June 2012.
Lance Spallholz
“Lance was one of the first people I met when I joined Union in 1989,” said John Spinelli, professor of electrical and computer engineering and computer science. “He helped me set up my first computer and deal with the technology of the day for the first class I ever taught.”
When he was pursuing a master’s in computer science at what was then Union Graduate College in the 1980s, Spallholz took classes taught by George Williams ’65. The two men eventually became colleagues in the Computer Science Department. Williams retired in 2002.
Williams described Spallholz as a “genial perfectionist” who always made sure that the equipment in the computer labs was well maintained and that students understood how to use it effectively.
Williams and his wife, Karen Williams, associate professor emeritus of biology, were close friends with Lance and his wife, Norma Spallholz.
Karen Williams said Lance possessed a sharp wit. When Lance learned that Karen’s husband had an ancestor named George George Schermerhorn, his response was, “Well, I bet whoever got that middle name was steamed!”
More recently, as Spallholz was recovering from surgery in January, the Williamses offered to provide their friends with a bridge loan to help with any unanticipated expenses. Spallholz wanted to know if this would be a "Whipple Bridge" loan, a reference to the Squire Whipple Bridge near the northeast corner of campus.
“Lance was deeply loved and admired by all who knew him. He will be missed,” Karen Williams said.
Spallholz’s connections to Union ran deep. He met Norma, a student at Russell Sage College, during a mixer at the Rathskeller. The couple were married in Memorial Chapel one week after he graduated from the College. They celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary in June.
Spallholz’s grandfather, an uncle, two great-uncles and his daughter, Julianna '98 and son, Drue ’04, are all graduates of the College.
As a loyal alumnus, Spallholz enjoyed searching for Union memorabilia. He built an extensive collection of postcards depicting the campus during the early part of the 20th century. In an interview in 1999, he said he was fascinated with the postcards because both the pictures on the front and the messages on the back were evocative of a bygone era.
“Back then, there was very little private photography, and there was no color photography,” he said. “So, this was how people saw the world.”
Spallholz was also a dedicated fan of Union’s men’s hockey team.
“His booming voice could be heard yelling ‘Now Union now!’ at opportune scoring times, said Linda Almstead, senior lecturer emerita of computer science. She was a master's student with Spallholz in the early 1980s and taught several introductory computer science courses with him.
Spalhholz’s death comes just before the release of a new book next month, “Auto Touring America's National Parks: The Photography of H.A. Spallholz,” written by Spallholz, his brother, Julian E. Spallholz, and Arthur S. Vaughan.
Published by Texas Tech University Press, the book chronicles the journey of the Spallholz family as they set out from Salem, N.Y., to see America’s national parks in 1919.
In addition to Spallholz’s wife, two children and brother, survivors include his
grandson, Phineas Spallholz Wheeler.
A memorial service is planned for Sept. 28 in Round Lake. Details have not been finalized.
A full obituary can be found at the funeral home’s website.