Spencer Phillip Calzadilla

On Friday March 4th, 2022, our son, Spencer Calzadilla, 28, died of suicide. Spencer was born on February 13th , 1994 in Mesa, Arizona. Spencer is survived by his father, Felipe (Phil) Calzadilla, mother, Lisa Baker, his step mother, Casie Calzadilla, his sister Claire Calzadilla, his brothers William (Liam Calzadilla) and Neyden (Neyde) Calzadilla. He is also survived by his paternal grandparents Felipe and Vicenta Calzadillla and his maternal grandmother, Jackie Baker. His father writes. My son had made that transition from being my child to my adult friend. If I was going through a tough time and wanted to reach out to someone I knew would be there for me. I reached out to him. He did the same. This was my son. My son didn't drink or do drugs; he worked out every day and took great care of himself. I was very proud of Spencer. He served our country as a Marine for 5 years. He was honorably discharged and realized he wanted to be educated after his Marine Corps experience. Unfortunately, he didn't have the high school grades to get directly into Arizona State, so he humbly went to community college, did great, and transferred to ASU. He went on to graduate Summa Cum Laude last year. He wanted to be an attorney because, as he wrote in his Personal Statement, “My job as a corrections specialist exposed me to the horrible outcomes of an unjust legal system. While the majority of the time the legal system worked, I have to believe that we can do better as a society.” So he took his LSATs and planned to start ASU law school this spring. I know he also wanted to change the world and be a politician. He was passionate about politics and loved being on the board of Bridge ASU. In his words Bridge ASU is “a non-partisan political organization that seeks to produce more effective and engaging discussion in the hyper partisan political environment that exists today.” I thought he could be president one day. I had told him recently that I thought he was a better man than I was, especially at his age. He was passionate about cars. He loved fast cars but he could tell you about any car and which one was best for your needs after he asked a few questions. He knew the stats, of every car, from a Honda to a Buggatti. I have amazing memories of my son: youth sports, baseball hits, coaching him, running up and down the field in full football gear when it was 110 degrees in AZ, while crying but still doing it. Skiing, Maui, amusement park trips. Dressing up with me in suits for "bring your child to work day" and then telling a client off-color jokes that his grandpa taught him. The heartfelt, extemporaneous, not-a-dry-eye in the room, speech he gave at our wedding. The time he won "Circle of excellence" at his TechData role, which included a trip to Costa Rica, and chose to take me, his dad. Smoking cigars together last month for his 28th birthday. Countless Sunday dinners (but never enough of them). Talking to him when he was sad this past week. Holding him and telling him, "it's okay to cry," not knowing this would be the last time I would hold him in my arms.